Goblin Slayer: The Team
by GLG-3883
Summary: What if there were five members of the original team instead of four? Will the goblin menace meet another, even more dire threat than the Goblin Slayer himself, or will this be just another case of hopes of glory dashed? Rated M for dark/adult themes; the same as the series itself is known for.
1. Chapter 1 Part I

**Hello my fellow fiction enthusiasts. GLG here, and I'm happy to announce that I've made my 1st ever fanfiction, and what better way to get started than with a passion project I've wanted to do for months? I've seen other people go down this little yellow brick road, and now here I am to give my own 2 cents on a subject that...well, the title and description should already tell you about. Now, I intend to stay as faithful to the series as I can be, but I have no intention of addressing things that do not involve my main OC, mostly because the series itself does a good job of telling what's going on with the main storyline, and I don't want to be redundant, especially when it comes to Goblin Slayer himself; the point of this is to make something out of Priestess' first 3 teammates because of how richly they deserve it, so...Goblin Slayer will not have as big a role until later on . Don't get me wrong, I WILL include the main cast; it's impossible not to, especially with GS himself, but there will not only be twists in the material, but also extra material to cover what might happen off-screen so to speak, and let the record show that the original series is NOT MY PROPERTY, nor do I intend to slander or claim it for myself. But since the 1st episode, which the 1st chapter will cover, has gotten alot of flak from the fanbase, and in my humble opinion, it deserved it, so I have no issue deviating from it, and I'm sure I speak for a good chunk of the fan base when I say "hey, why did you do this to me? I trusted you." Now, without further ado, let this grand adventure commence!**

**Edit: an adventure that has just received it's 10,000th view...thank you all so so much. I may not get anything material out of this, but I still never expected this kind of publicity, if you can call it that.  
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* * *

"This is it..." a young Priestess said as she looked over a Guilt tavern. She had been practicing the holy arts for as long as she can remember, and her chance to make a difference was within reach. But as she readied herself to go inside, the sound of a galloping horse got her attention, so she turned and saw one approaching from the right road, with a man riding it, and she knew as he slowed the horse, dismounted it, and tied the reigns to a post, he was there for the same reason she was. He had brown eyes, dark brown hair that went down a little past his shoulders, as well as a ranger's outfit, complete with armor and a green hooded cloak. He also had a crossbow, two short swords, and a belt of throwing knives attached to the saddle, alongside with his partially filled saddlebags. His weapons, and 6ft frame made him a daunting sight for her, handsome though he was, but she managed to drum up the nerve to speak to him.

"Um, hello sir ranger." Priestess said as he looked in her direction.

"Hello. Are you here to become an adventurer as well?" Ranger said

"I am, but...I'm more nervous than I thought I'd be." Priestess admitted.

"I see, maybe having someone at your side would calm your nerves." Ranger said sensing the truth in her voice and this, she visibly calmed down.

"I believe so, yes." Priestess said.

"Looks like I got here just in time." Ranger joked "You just got yourself a teammate."

"Thank you very much good sir." Priestess said with a small couldn't help but smile.

"You really are a polite one." Ranger said as he examined her more closely. "Then again, people of the faith tend to be that way." He then turned to his horse to pet it. "We won't be too long." The horse actually neighed in acknowledgement, and the two went inside the tavern and looked around to see the place was reasonably full of people, some were drinking, others talking, others apparently waiting for something to happen. To their right, was a desk with a young woman in a guild uniform ready to receive them.

"Ah! New adventurers! Welcome!." She said as she spotted the pair. Ranger could tell she was fond of meeting new people...as if she wasn't appealing enough.

"That is our goal my good ma'am." Ranger said as he and Priestess approached the desk. "Where shall we begin?"

"First off, can the two of you read and write?" she asked them.

"Quite well." Ranger said before looking at Priestess.

"Me too." She said.

"In that case, I'll need you to fill these forms out for me." Guild Girl said as he handed the pair some papers to fill out, which took the pair less than ten seconds, with Priestess going first "So, it says here that you're 15 years of age, and trained to be a Priestess?"

"That's right, and now that I'm an adult, I want to become an adventurer and help out as many people as I can!" She said with no small amount of conviction

"A noble endeavor if there ever was one." Ranger said with admiration then Guild Girl addressed him.

"As for you, it says you're 19 years of age and- whoa! You're an actual ranger?" Guild Girl asked and Ranger nodded. "You sir, do not mess around."

"Trained from childhood by my father in woodsmanship, ranger tactics, and especially weaponry." Ranger stated with a fairly humble and honest tone.

"An aspiring adventurer with formal training and equipment, this is...not common to say the least." Guild Girl said as she recovered from the surprise "Anyway, here you go." she puts two tags with strings on them on the counter "These will serve as your Guild identification." she continued as the 2 examine their respective tags "Now, there are ten ranks for adventurers, Platinum is the highest rank, following that is Gold, however the highest ranks you'll encounter out in the field are the Silvers. If you look at your tags, you'll see it indicates that you're a Porcelain, which is the lowest rank among our adventurers."

"That makes sense, considering that we're just beginning." Ranger said.

"Correct." Guild Girl said.

"May I ask what the other ranks are?" Ranger asked.

"There's Porcelain of course, then Obsidian, then Steel, then Sapphire, Emerald, and Ruby, then Bronze, then of course, Silver, Gold, and Platinum." Guild Girl answered.

"And I take it becoming Platinum ranked is nothing to take lightly?" Ranger asked.

"Oh, you could not be more right sir; only a handful of people in history have made Platinum rank." Guild Girl said with emphasis.

"How does one increase their rank?" Priestess piped up.

"By completely quests of course, but also by proving yourself as a valued member of the Guild, especially by helping your fellow members, which considering the attitudes you have shown so far, should be no big deal." Guild Girl explained "Any more questions?" They both shook their heads. "Alright then, that's it for your registration." She then motioned to the nearby board which Ranger immediately started looking over. "This board is where quests are posted, you're welcome to look through them for one that's suitable for your ranks. Another option would be joining a veteran adventurer's party-" she barely got done talking before a young man with a red headband, breastplate, a sword on his back, and a few bandages on his face showed up and leaned on the desk next to Priestess.

"Hey, we're going to go on a quest, you two want to come with?" The Warrior said, which made the pair turn their heads to face him. "She said you're a Priestess and a Ranger right? My adventuring party's missing a healer, but we've got an urgent quest to tackle, so we're looking to add someone with the right skills and training as soon as possible."

Priestess was listening intently the whole time, but when Warrior mentioned his party, Ranger turned more and saw two girls with him. The first was a Wizard if the hat, cloak, and magic staff she had were any indication. She also had short, dark red hair, glasses over her green eyes, and wore a dress that showed some of her cleavage. He had to admit she was cute, but the other one _really_ took the cake. She had silky black hair tied into a ponytail, with eye color to match, and unlike Wizard who had a stern look in the face, hers had a liveliness that he could tell he'd need more than alittle fortitude to look away from, and even though she wore a baggy robe and pants, he could tell her figure was _at least_ on par with Wizard's. She was quite possibly the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, and if Warrior hadn't directly addressed him, he probably would've looked at her for too long.

"And throwing a Ranger into the mix should make this even easier. So, will you come along with us?" Warrior asked.

"That depends. What sort of quest is it?" Ranger asked.

"Goblin slaying." Warrior said which made Guild Girl groan.

"You're going after goblins?" Priestess said.

"Sure are. They attacked a village, and as if stealing supplies and livestock weren't bad enough, they also kidnapped a few of the local girls too." Warrior said.

"What?! Why?" Ranger asked more than a little concerned.

"Who knows? But we need to rescue them as soon as we can." Warrior said while looking at Guild Girl.

"Um, you're all Porcelain ranked aren't you? This will be, _quite_ the challenge. I'm sure that if you wait, there will be other adventurers looking to take on the quest." Guild Girl said with some concern in her voice.

"Oh please, the five of us can handle a bunch of filthy goblins no problem. Can't we?" Warrior said, barely letting Guild girl finish. The girl in the robe, Fighter nodded her head.

"Mmm-hmm. You in Priestess? Ranger?" Fighter asked...which made Ranger catch his breath; her voice was as pleasant as her face.

"Come on and make up your minds already." Wizard said impatiently.

"Wait." Ranger said before turning to Guild Girl "I couldn't help but notice that you cringed when goblins were mentioned, may I ask why?"

"Are you _serious_? Let's just-" Ranger cuts Wizard off.

"Let her answer." He snapped.

"Well...goblins are seen as weaklings, and pests...and well, they _are_, but...they know they're weak, which is why they don't fight fairly, and don't fight alone." Guild Girl said.

"Tell that to the goblins I kicked out of my village." Warrior boasted.

"How many were there?" Ranger asked.

"A couple. You should've been there, it was _really_ heroic." Fighter teased before Warrior pouted at her. It was clear these two had history of some sort.

"Did you actually _fight_ them?" Ranger asked urgently.

"Uh, no. Can't say I did." Warrior admitted...which made Ranger facepalm.

"Did _any_ of you fight them?" The two girls shook their heads which made Ranger sigh in exasperation "I'm in. Priestess?" She had been taking the situation in the whole time, but her answer was immediate.

"Yes, if it's this important I'll do whatever I can to help." she said with conviction.

"Be careful you guys. Many adventurers who choose goblin slaying as a starter quest seriously underestimate them, and wind up as additional victims." Guild Girl said.

"Don't worry, I'll hold their hands." Ranger said as he made for the door.

"You'll hold our hands!? We may be new to this, but we're not babies! Also, who died and made you our leader?" Wizard snapped.

"Like you said, you're new to this." Ranger said as he mounted his horse "I however, was trained as a ranger since childhood, by my father nonetheless. Now, where to?"

"I've got the map." Warrior said holding it up as proof.

"Then you lead the way." Ranger said and they were off.

* * *

A few minutes later, the five-person team reached the edge of town and were heading down a long dirt road.

"According to this map, we head down this road, then head for a small clearing, and there should be a small cave entrance the goblins use for their home." Warrior said. He was leading the way, with Fighter and Wizard at his side, and Priestess behind them, and Ranger riding at her side. He would offer her a spot on the horse, but his weapons and supplies gave her no space, something he noted to rectify later on if possible, but for now, he decided to break the ice and get to know his new teammates.

"Priestess? What skills do you have?" Ranger asked.

"I can perform the miracles of healing and holy light, but only three times." she said.

"Hopefully we won't need any of them, but it's still good to have them available. How about you?" Ranger asked Wizard.

"I can use fire spells at least four or five times." she stated simply.

"Damn, suddenly I'm glad I'm not a goblin." Ranger said knowing how painful burns are. "Now, I myself have this crossbow, which I'm able to load and shoot in just over a second, these short swords which are of course great for getting close, and these knives? Well, it's said a good knife has 1001 uses, and I have about a dozen on me, some of which I use for throwing. Sometimes I use poisons, but I don't have any on me."

"How many weapons does one person need?" Wizard asked in astonishment.

"Rangers are trained to use just about any weapon they can get ahold off; I simply took my favorites, and the ones that require the least training, so if a possible teammate needs it, they won't need too much training, like my crossbow. When I first used it as a child, I never even held one, let alone shot one, and I hit all but one target that I didn't even aim at thanks to overconfidence, and if a child can use a crossbow, with no prior training, imagine what someone _with_ training, or at least a clue could do. What do you have?" Ranger asked Warrior.

"I've got this" He said as he stopped and pulled his longsword. "And I know how to use it!" He prepared a practice swing...then Fighter stopped him cold

"Don't even think about it." She said as if she was scolding a younger sibling "As for me? I don't have any weapons; I _am_ one."

"Wait...You have _no_ weapons at all?" " Ranger said as he stopped his horse. Fighter simply shrugged at this.

"Don't need any. Like I said, I _am_ one." Fighter said while raising her fists for emphasis.

"Lady, your bare hands will only get you so far." Ranger said dryly, and Fighter scoffed at him.

"Says the man who's practically a walking armory!" She said with exasperation.

"I have these weapons, _on top_ of unarmed combat skills, and if you don't believe me, I'll give you a demonstration when this quest is done." Ranger said seriously, and Fighter smirked at this.

"Challenge accepted." she said with enthusiasm.

"Oh gods above! Can you two save the flirting for when the quest is done as well?" Wizard asked.

"Flirting?" Fighter said flustered while Ranger just sat on his horse in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah? What you say, how you said it, and why speak for themselves quite well." Wizard said like it was obvious. Warrior meanwhile was snickering a bit.

"Oh this is just-" he then noticed Fighter raising her fist threatening to punch him and shut up right away, then kept going with the others following.

* * *

A few minutes after their...interesting conversation, the band of adventurers made it to that small clearing and sure enough, there was a small cave entrance. But before they went to investigate, Ranger took his horse to the side and inspected the plants there.

"What are you doing?" Priestess asked.

"Making sure there are no poisonous plants here so my horse doesn't eat any of them." He answered before petting his horse then continuing his inspection "Alright, it looks alright, eat up horse." He then motioned for the horse to do it's thing before taking some supplies off the saddle, starting with a small bag which he handed to his party. "Someone hold this please." Warrior then took it as Ranger grabbed his crossbow and slung it over his shoulder after removing his cloak and tying it to the saddle.

"What's in here?" Warrior asked before opening it to find an assortment of potions which made everyone breathe hard. "Where did you get these?"

"My mother brewed them." Ranger said simply.

"Wait, first your father is a retired ranger, now your mother is a potion brewer? What next? Your uncle is a gold miner?" Wizard said, and everyone laughed at her remark, and she herself had to admit it was pretty funny.

"Don't I wish, but no." Ranger said after getting enough of a grip. "I have no uncles, at least, not through blood ties." He then attached the belt with the twin swords on it and headed for the cave "Now, let's see what this cave is about-" He stopped talking the moment he noticed the signpost at the entrance then rushed to investigate it. "I don't believe this..."

"What is it?" Fighter asked.

"Apparently goblins aren't just smart enough to figure out how to attack a village, and get away with it, not to mention what to take, but are also able to build a signpost." Ranger said before shaking it. "A well-built signpost to boot."

"So? Let's go in and get rid of them." Warrior said before his attempt to go inside was stopped cold by Ranger.

"Have you been paying _any_ attention? If goblins are the pushovers that people think they are, why are we here to get rid of them, and why did their invasion of that village, and maybe others before that succeed?" Ranger asked sternly.

"But we're adventurers. We can handle this." Warrior said with a note of seriousness.

"And when two dozen goblins jump on you from all sides and none of us can reach you in time? What then? You're just going to _handle_ that?" Ranger asked with urgency in his voice. "I am seriously alarmed with how no one but me acknowledged what was said about this situation, and alittle ashamed I didn't talk about what _wasn't_ said sooner, but we only know what some people think, and have said about these creatures, but what was said needs to be at least considered a risk to be worked around, especially since we don't know how many goblins are in this cave. There could be dozens, or even a hundred in there, and this sign proves that either they have someone in there leading them, which makes absolutely no sense, or they're smart enough to do it themselves. Heh, they're smart enough to invade an entire village, take out everyone who resists, and know what to take; they _kidnapped some girls_ for the Supreme's sake! So if we don't do this intelligently, we will be their victims instead of them being ours."

"Alright! We can take a damn hint! The "charge in like a moron" tactic is officially dead. Let's do this the ranger way." Wizard snapped.

"Um, the "ranger way" is looking pretty good from where I'm standing. Maybe we _were_ being a bit too thoughtless when we agreed to this, but now we know that this isn't something to take lightly, and we won't" Fighter said before motioning to Ranger "So lead on...boss."

"Yes." Priestess said before stepping forward "Lead on."

Warrior huffed "I guess I was being a bit headless about this, but you clearly weren't, so lead on boss." Everyone then looked at Wizard

"Oh alright. Lead on boss." She said with a sigh.

"Alright." Ranger said "My first act as your leader, is to apologize for taking my fears out on all of you, and to congratulate you for overcoming them. Now, since we got that out of the way." he took two torches he brought from the horse, gave one to Warrior and kept the other and looked into the cave "We have some goblins to crush." They then went in after him.

* * *

Ranger went in first, followed by Warrior and Fighter, with Wizard and Priestess taking up the rear; as the spellcasters, they required the most protection, especially Priestess.

"May I ask why we're using two torches?" Warrior asked.

"To eliminate as many shadows as possible. Caves don't always go forward and backwards only, and I seriously doubt the goblins wouldn't take advantage of that in one way or another." Ranger said.

"That makes sense." Wizard stated.

"Priestess? You alright back there?" Ranger asked.

"Yes sir, I'm just alittle concerned." she said.

"We all are. But we've come too far to quit now." Fighter said.

"Ah, like I said, we can handle this." Warrior said with enthusiasm as he pulled his sword "I'll bet that if we put our minds to it, we'll get strong enough to take on a dragon!"

"Well, before you can become a great and mighty dragon slayer, you'll have to settle for being a great and mighty goblin slayer" Ranger said dryly which got a few giggles out of the three ladies behind him.

"Don't worry boss, I know the drill; I was just trying to lighten the mood." Warrior said.

"That is appreciated, but keep your focus on what's in the here-and-now until we can afford it. Understood?" Ranger asked.

"Yes sir." Warrior said. The team then carried on their trek into the cave, and Ranger couldn't help but notice some stray water sources and some minerals in some parts of the cave.

"I should probably get my pickaxe and come back into this cave when we're done." He said

"You have a pickaxe? What tools _don't_ you have?" Wizard asked in awe.

"A true ranger brings as many different tools as possible, both for his own sake, and the sake of his teammates. In this case, what are the chances that our reward for this quest might not be high enough? A pickaxe will turn the quest itself into it's own payment if the right materials are found." Ranger said.

"That is pretty crafty." Fighter said as continued further into the cave until Ranger stops them. "What's wrong boss?"

"Look ahead." Ranger said, and the four peeked around him and spotted a sign similar to the one outside "There's also a side cave like I predicted. Wait here" He walked forward slowly and noticed a three-way split in that area, then ran back to the others. "That sign is in the middle of an intersection between three paths; it's a _great_ place for an ambush."

"Do you have a plan sir?" Priestess asked which made Ranger observe the terrain, his equipment and recall his party's skills, and finally turn to face them.

"Ambush _their_ ambush." He said.

"How?" Wizard asked.

"First, I'm going to set up my weapons, then throw my torch into the middle of that intersection, then lure them to us by clapping." Ranger said.

"Clapping?" Fighter asked confused.

"Yes, clapping." Ranger said after taking the bag from Warrior and tossing it behind them. "Not even beasts would ignore an unknown sound, and I don't care what anyone says, we are fighting them on _our_ terms, not theirs."

"What should we do?" Warrior asked.

"You and Fighter take the left side, I'll take the right. Wizard, you stay in the back, if you see any goblins using ranged weapons of any sort, cook them. Priestess, you especially stay in the back. We _cannot_ afford to put you in harm's way, and speaking of harm's way, when I throw that torch, the space ahead of it is to be considered high-risk; no one is to charge past it under _any_ circumstances. Understood?" Ranger asked.

"Yes sir!" Everyone said at once then Ranger turned to Warrior.

"I forgot to mention, that sword you're using is suspiciously long to swing in a space this small, so prioritize thrusting over swinging, unless you want to risk hitting a teammate?" He said with a minor edge.

"Of course not." Warrior said defensively.

"Good. Now, let's do this. Everyone get ready!" Ranger said and everyone got to their positions. Ranger then threw his torch into the middle of the intersection, knelt down by his crossbow, clapped once as a test; the sound bounced off the walls quite nicely. "Yes...that will do." He clapped again and everyone tensed up, then he started clapping rapidly until a few seconds later when they heard gurgling snarl sounds and some goblins came into view.

"GOBLINS!" Fighter yelled but Ranger was already on it; the moment they came into view, he grabbed his crossbow and shot the closest one in the head, and some of it's friends tripped over it's corpse, then true to his earlier claim, he loaded another bolt so quickly his teammates could barely see his arms move and shot another in the head, then another, and another, and another, and when he loaded a sixth shot, one pounced at him, only to be stopped in mid-air by him standing up, putting his crossbow in the way, slamming it into a wall, then he kicks a second one in the face hard enough to break it's spine, then he pulls a knife and stabs the first one in the bottom of the skull, severing it's brain stem and threw the corpse into a third one that showed up from the right entrance.

Fighter and Warrior meanwhile, were mopping up the goblins that tripped over their dead friends, with Warrior stabbing them like Ranger said, and Fighter stomping their skulls in. One pounced at her then Warrior stabbed it in mid-air, then Fighter punched it in the chest hard enough to remove it from Warrior's blade. in total, they must've killed seven.

"Fireball!" Wizard called and then launched a ball of fire at a pair of goblin archers she spotted in the back and both caught fire. The two screamed in pain trying to put the flames out, but they died before they could. "Down you go."

Ranger then got attacked by about four goblins from the right entrance, then he pulled his two short swords, yelled at the goblins and stabbed a pouncing one several times before slamming the corpse on a second one, then severed a third one's arm before stabbing the fourth in the head, then stabbing the second one before it recovered, and then beheading the third one.

The group took a small breather as the adrenaline high started to wear down, then rapid, earth-shaking footsteps were felt which made Ranger go for his crossbow right away...then they spotted what looked to be a gigantic goblin charging them.

"OH SHIT!" Ranger yelled and Wizard immediately shot a fireball at it, missing it's chest, but hitting the side of it's face, making it stop and scream in pain "Kill it while it's down!" Warrior charged it and when he got close, the big goblin stood up before he could stab it's neck and took the sword to the gut making it roar in anger and prepare to swat him only for it to take a crossbow bolt to he elbow paralyzing it's arm and giving Fighter and chance to do some damage with a strong kick to the side, but the big goblin grabbed her foot with it's working arm, growled in anger, and squeezed hard, making her scream in pain, which in turn, made Ranger grab his swords, charge it, slide under it's legs, climb up it's back, and stab it in the top of the head, killing it and freeing Fighter. He then pulled her back to the others as Warrior kept an eye out for more goblins.

"I can heal her!" Priestess exclaimed.

"Not yet. Let me see how bad it is." Ranger said as he removed her boot. He ran his fingers along the bony part of her lower leg looking for injuries and listening for Fighter to grunt in pain, but she never did except for when he gently squeezed her ankle, which miraculously wasn't broken. The whole time however, he didn't dare look her in the face; he thought he did a good job of hiding it thanks to him prioritizing her well-being, but he couldn't help but feel flustered inspecting the body of a beautiful woman, even if he _was_ checking to see if she was hurt. "Those are pretty high-quality boots you wear; your foot isn't seriously hurt, but...you're in no shape to go anywhere." He then turned to Wizard who still had his potions "Luckily, it's nothing a health potion won't fix." He then took one from Wizard and gave it to Fighter before collecting his crossbow, and loading it before some metallic footsteps were heard behind them making Ranger point his crossbow in that direction, Warrior run back to the group to help fight, and Wizard prepare another spell, until they realized, it was a man in armor, carrying a short sword, and a torch and buckler in his left hand. "False alarm." Everyone lowered their weapons.

"I see you've killed some goblins." The man said with a raspy voice, mostly due to his helmet, but there was an undeniable amount of irritation in his voice

"Yes we have. Who are you exactly? Wizard asked before the man stopped and kept looking ahead.

"I am Goblin Slayer." He said

"Goblin...Slayer?" Fighter Askeid in disbelief.

"He's Silver ranked!" Priestess exclaimed.

"A Silver Rank? Here? Wow, this just gets better and better."Warrior said in amazement as GS walked right past the group and looked at the dead goblins.

"7...14...16...20, and a hob. Impressive for a team of rookies." GS said.

"Um, what's a hob?" Priestess asked

"That big one with the sword wounds in it's head. These goblins must've recruited it as a guard." GS said before turning his head to the group "Do you have a leader?"

"That would be me, sir." Ranger said.

"How did you get them all to fight you here?" GS asked.

"I clapped my hands and let them come to where we could fight more effectively." Ranger answered.

"That was risky. Goblins have hearing far sharper than ours. If there were many more than this, you would've been overwhelmed. I wouldn't do that again." GS said.

"Noted, but that torch there was put there as a line we shouldn't pass, with that hob being an obvious exception." Ranger said.

"That was a smart move. Letting goblins surround you is nothing short of a death sentence." GS said before he turned to the sign post. "This sign post. This horde is being led by a shaman."

"A shaman?" Priestess asked.

"A powerful spellcaster. Are you the entire group?" GS asked.

"Yes, and...while it's in bad taste...hers was the only injury." Ranger said as he motioned to Fighter.

"That sort of leadership can carry you far. As for this horde? I'm going to finish it off." GS said.

"But, we got them all, sir." Warrior said.

"There's still the shaman, and possibly some other goblins protecting him. What will you all do?" GS asked.

"I'll go with you." Priestess said.

"So will I." Ranger said.

"Us to." Wizard said.

"No, you two stay here and protect Fighter, and keep any goblins from leaving. This shouldn't take too long." Ranger said before he heard GS stab the dead hob. "You _are_ aware that the stabs to the head were enough to kill it right?"

"You two have to get rid of your scents." GS said as he soaked some cloth in the hob's blood. "They not only have great hearing, but also great smell." GS then smeared the blood on Priestess' dress and Ranger's scaled armor.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." Wizard said as she turned away.

"Do you know spells?" GS asked.

"I can perform the miracles of healing and holy light." Priestess said.

"How often?" GS asked.

"Only three times, and I haven't used any yet." she said.

"Good, we'll probably need them." GS said before Ranger collected his crossbow bolts and his used knife before the then pressed on further into the cave until GS stopped them. Ranger put up his crossbow in preparation, then GS threw his torch, then threw a knife which hit a goblin and then he charged it and put his short sword in it's chest. "That's 22." He said

"Do you have an ability that let's you see in the darkness?" Priestess asked.

"Of course not; I just practiced. The trick is to aim where their necks should be." GS said as he dragged the dead goblin behind him with it's spear in his right hand.

"That's insane. How much have you trained?" Priestess asked.

"Alot." GS said as he eyed the dead goblin before moving on.

"What about the sword?" Ranger asked.

"There's too much blood on it." GS said before stopping. "That was a scout...we should go this way." He then took out a wooden stop, and some rope, then set a tripwire with it.

"Expecting a surprise?" Ranger asked.

"Never take chances with goblins; for all we know, that wasn't the only hob they had." GS said which put Ranger on edge; they had a hard time with only one. The three then went down a sloped pathway with GS in front, Ranger on the side, crossbow at the ready, and Priestess behind them. then GS stops them "Use Holy Light from here, once you're done, run back to the entrance. Ranger, keep that crossbow trained. Now!" He then braced himself to charge, Ranger pointed his crossbow down the pathway, and Priestess sucked in a breath.

"Hear me O merciful Earth Mother, protect us and bless us with Holy Light!" She prayed and then the head of her staff gave off an impressively bright flash which even Ranger was strained by even though he was looking away from it; he dared not shoot his crossbow because of it since he didn't want to hit GS, who charged right into the fray.

"Six goblins, plus a hob, and a shaman...he dies _first!_" he yelled before throwing his spear at the shaman who was charging a lightning spell, then retreated. "Fall back!" He said to the other two who took off after him with the goblins hot of their tails. GS and Ranger both jumped over the tripwire, but Priestess missed her landing and Ranger immediately turned and his heart sank when he saw the hob _and_ some smaller goblins.

"The light! "Again!" GS said before grabbing an axe no one else noticed.

"O merciful Earth mother! Protect us as we go forward, and bless us with Holy Light!" Priestess prayed and the same flash happened and the hob fell for the tripwire, which Ranger took advantage of right away by putting a bolt in it's head before switching to his swords.

"There will be others coming for us, but I can only pray one more time!" Priestess yelled.

"You've done enough." Ranger said seriously, and sensed that she was more at ease.

"23!" GS said before dumping sort of oil on the hob's dead body then kicking it down the slope. "See ya!" The hob actually rolled over 2 goblins and drenched them in oil too, then he fetched the torch he threw earlier, and tossed it down the slope to ignite them "25."

"What was that?" Priestess said after coughing.

"Gasoline I bought from an alchemist. Wasn't very good for what I paid." GS said.

"Wait! What about the girls they captured?" Ranger asked with worry.

"There were only three goblin corpses; the flames won't spread too far. They'll be fine." GS said.

"So, should we charge them?" Ranger asked.

"No..." GS then swung his axe at one goblin in mid-air "They probably think we ran..." Ranger then stabbed one that fell for the tripwire in the head "They'll have no idea we're out here waiting for them!" GS then bashed a second pouncing goblin with his shield and threw his axe into it's head, then the three went down into their den, and when they did, Priestess and Ranger's hearts sank like a rock. There were no less than five girls, all were buck-naked, and laying down completely motionless.

"What the hell...?!" Ranger breathed out as he surveyed the area in horror. "What did those damn goblins do?!" His heart sank even further when he noticed each one covered in some sort of glue-like substance he dared not think about, especially between their legs. "What have they been_ doing_!?" His horror slowly turned to rage as he looked them over, and then his eyes burned when he saw their faces...their blank, lifeless, and broken faces, then he bared his teeth, started snarling and clenched his convulsing fists.

"Shaman." GS said, breaking Ranger out of his emotional maelstrom "You can't fool me." The shaman then jumped at him, only to have it's head smashed in by a club, which Ranger wanted to do himself. "32, these high-level ones are tough." he said as he smashed a small throne then opened a secret door which revealed a complete surprise...

"Children?" Priestess asked.

"They multiple quickly. If this nest had been left for much longer, there might have been a horde of 50 waiting here for us. We were lucky." GS said as he went inside.

"So...they..." Ranger trailed off, then looked at the girls again. "These girls were their...what is _wrong_ with these creatures?!"

"This is what goblins are like. There is no monster more heinous than goblins." GS said.

"Are you going to kill them?" Priestess asked sadly.

"Of course I am. These _animals_ hold onto grudges for life; the survivors in the nest, would learn from the mistakes of the dead, and adapt. There isn't a single reason to show them mercy!" GS said, and Ranger could not help but nod his head and kneel to see GS' work better; he thought goblins were a pest and needed to be dealt with, but this? Using kidnapped girls as breeding stock against their will? No, this was _beyond_ disgusting and demands punishment.

"But what if there _was_ a good goblin? They _might_ exist!" Priestess said with what Ranger firmly believed was completely misplaced sympathy.

"Maybe. If you looked hard, you _might_ be able to find one, but at the end of the day, the only "good" goblins, are the ones who never show their faces to the light of day." GS said, and with that...he started smashing the little goblins' heads in one by one, their cries of terror falling on deaf ears. All but Priestess who broke down crying from seeing their temporary innocence snuffed out, which for a moment, Ranger agreed with, but his repulsion towards the goblins was still as firm as ever.

"That makes 36." GS said as he came out and went to leave the cave.

"Wait." Ranger breathed out before getting up and facing GS who didn't bother turning to him. "Goblin Slayer...I must ask you some things."

"Then ask." GS said.

"Are _all_ goblins born like this?" Ranger asked alittle afraid of the answer.

"Most likely. I don't know if it was always this way, but it is now." GS said.

"Alright." Ranger said with his rage turning into sorrow "Have you seen this done before?"

"Yes. It's actually what drove me to exterminate them." GS said, his patience apparently running out.

"One more thing." Ranger said urgently before looking at the girls for the umpteenth time. "What...what should we do with them?"

"Kill them." GS said simply which caught Ranger by surprise. "You've seen their faces haven't you? Their lives are over; the damage will never be fixed; the only thing they're going to do from this point forward, is wait for death. If you spare them, you'll be prolonging their torture." And with that, GS leaves the den and therefore, Ranger and Priestess to make the decision.

"We can't kill them!" Priestess exclaimed as she ran towards Ranger and grasped his arms. "Please. There's been enough darkness as it is. We have to take them out of it and heal them." For a moment, Ranger looked into her pleading eyes and thought it could be done, but recalled what GS said, especially "prolonging their torture", which he couldn't be responsible for.

"No..." Ranger whispered. "You heard what Goblin Slayer said, these girls are done living; their faces say it all." He pulled away from Priestess who ran out of the den bawling her eyes out, then Ranger pulled a sword and plunged it into one of the girls' heads after closing his eyes not wanting to see his work then went to the next, killed her too, then killed the third, before pausing to process the rage and sorrow in his heart, then killed the fourth one, and then watched himself kill the final one before letting out an enraged yell that echoed throughout the cave.

* * *

"What the-?" Wizard snapped from leaning against the wall and saw GS coming "Where's Ranger and Priestess?"

"They will come when they come." He said and he walked past them.

About ten seconds later, Priestess showed up still crying and Warrior rushed to receive her.

"Priestess? Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes, but..." She said before clinging onto Warrior like she was drowning. "The girls aren't!"

"What?" Warrior asked.

"It's the goblins, they...were using the girls to breed. _That's_ why they captured them!" Priestess said while sobbing.

"No..." Warrior said horrified which Wizard and Fighter echoed. "We should get them out of here!"

"They're all dead." Ranger said as he approached in a manner eerily similar to Goblin Slayer's, then he broke the sign post they were near with one hit "Just help Fighter up and let's get out of his hellhole."

"But sir-" Ranger cuts Wizard off.

"DO WHAT I SAID!" He exploded then kept going as his team stood there stunned for a moment before Wizard helped Fighter up and Warrior let Priestess cling to him before the whole team left the cave to see Ranger destroy the sign post outside as well, then rush to his horse, and head down the path they took to get there.

* * *

Ranger rode ahead of the group a fairly large distance, but the team knew the way back like he did, so it wasn't too bad a move, which they all knew deep down. They noticed that he still kept his weapons on his person, and on occasion petted his horse as if looking for solace in the action. The team's hearts went out to him, especially Fighter and Priestess, though it's anyone's guess who's case was stronger.

"I don't think I've ever seen someone that torn up." Fighter said somberly before turning to Priestess "If it's not too much to ask, can you please let us know what happened?"Priestess took a moment to compose herself.

"Alright. After we went further into the cave, Goblin Slayer and Ranger cleared out the rest of the goblins, with two of the three miracles I can use helping them, but when we found their den...there were the girls, all of whom were traumatized from what the goblins did to them and..." Her sorrow came back with a vengeance as she tried to stop herself from crying again "...Goblin Slayer found some goblin children, and killed them all! I know they were goblins and they hurt lots of people all the time but...they looked so innocent!" She couldn't contain herself anymore and cried into Warrior's shoulder as he held her, with Fighter and Wizard putting their spare hands on her. "But...before he left, Goblin Slayer suggested Ranger kill the girls to end their pain, and he did just that."Fighter immediately removed her hand.

"He did not..." She whispered, then looked at Ranger again "No wonder he's so torn up."

"I just...I just couldn't watch anymore so I left that den, and I never want to go back." Priestess said.

"And we won't. We dragged you to into this, and we're not dragging you in there again." Warrior said.

"It's not your fault." Priestess said looking right at him.

"Maybe not, but we should _still_ support each other." Wizard said with a faint smile. "We're a team aren't we?"

"Yes." Priestess said drying her eyes. "Yes we are." She then looked at Ranger. "And our leader needs us now more than ever."

"You're all completely right." Fighter said still a bit sad for him.

Ranger meanwhile was making no effort to wait for the team so they had to rush to keep up.

* * *

At the Guild tavern, Guild Girl was there talking to some other adventurers when Ranger walked in doing his damnedest to keep it together.

"Ranger!" She said cheerily before noting that he was alone "Where are the rest of your team?"

"They're not far behind." He said.

"So...you led them all to victory against a goblin nest? That's...quite a feat." Guild Girl said in utter amazement.

"Yes, those goblins will never hurt someone again." Ranger said with a minor edge to his voice.

"Very good." Guild Girl then handed him a bag full of copper coins, and some silver coins "Here's your reward."

"Thank you very much ma'am." Ranger said eyeballing the bag of coin before sighing. "Listen...I'm going to leave for a while, and I don't know when, or if I'll come back."

"I see. I hope you to see you again; you seem like a promising adventurer." Guild Girl said disappointed.

"I appreciate the support, and everything else too." Ranger said and he turned to leave and nearly ran into his teammates.

"Ranger!" Priestess said but Ranger gave them his bag of coin.

"The reward for our mission's success." He said before mounting his horse.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Boss! Where are you going?" Wizard said.

"I'm going home for a while." Ranger said looking straight forward. "I cannot be an adventurer in this state of mind, let alone the leader of a team." He then looked right at them. "And my parents are the only ones I think can help me out." He then turned his horse "If you want to follow me there, I won't stop you." He then had his horse trot off the way he originally came into town.

"Ranger..." Fighter said before she tried walking alone which actually worked thanks to the potion he gave her and then the rest went with her.

* * *

**And with that, I'm finally done. I really doubt I need to explain why I deviated from what happened to the team in episode one, because let's face it, who in the name of all that's sacred, writes in some characters, gives them JUST enough development to get our hopes up that they'll be a driving force, and then screw them all over? As a writer myself, I am sourly disappointed, and as an audience member, I am disgusted that their fates are taken so lightly, especially Fighter's fate. Yes, I know it was done to showcase how vile the goblins are, but as I demonstrated...there are OTHER WAYS to do that! Now for a few author's notes before I rant too badly: first off, in the original episode, there were only 22 goblin kills; I beefed up the numbers here to make it more fair/interesting. Secondly...I'm pretty sure you've all figured this out, but I'm planning a romance between Ranger and Fighter, cause let's face it: if there's one thing she deserves, it's a dose of true love. Anyways, be sure to review, rate, share with your friends, all that sweet stuff and I'll be back with some addition parts to the 1st chapter later on, so stayed tuned for them cause I'm not even close to being finished.**

**A/N: Please note that I do not condone just giving up the way Ranger did in that den, but things _do_ go up from there, so if anyone finds that disgusting, please know that I do as well, but I only wanted to give an least somewhat realistic moment where the Dark Side is strong, so that the Light Side can have something to overcome, and later on...it succeeds. I won't say how, but I promise I'm telling the truth.  
**


	2. Chapter 1 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team. I said last time I would add more content, and I am a man of my word, so here you go. You may have noticed that this is part 2 of 1 chapter, well, like I probably should've said, I intend to take the story that's already there, and combine it with this particular story based on my OC and the original team, as well as add extra content to each, or at least some of the chapters. I know I said something _like_ that, but I doubt it was clear enough, so I hope that clears things up nicely. Now, we left off with Ranger leaving town to head home and see his parents. How will that go and what will his team do to return the favor for him keeping them alive? Let's find out shall we?**

* * *

Fighter walked at the front of the four-person team; Ranger was riding ahead of them again. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and ease his mind, but _how_? She couldn't just walk up to him and tell them things will be alright when they clearly aren't. Their leader was clearly a sensitive and caring man, and he's proven that their lives mattered to him more than once, even when they were giving him flak, she was even the first to acknowledge him as their leader, something that, deep down, she was proud of. The ordeal she was told about put a strain on her own heart, and she didn't even witness it, she couldn't even fathom what his case was like; he wasn't just having a hard time, he was in _pain_; this wasn't something he could just get over, She couldn't do anything for now except hope that he would get what he needed from his parents, and be ready for when he was ready to talk to her, and the rest of the team for that matter. She then snapped out of her thoughts to look at Ranger, who as fate would have it, looked back to see his four teammates not three seconds later.

"My home isn't much further down this road." He called out before looking forward again. They had been walking down a road through the woods for about 20 minutes now, and true to his word, they arrived at a pretty large cabin not five minutes later, and there were not one, but two additional buildings behind it, their purposes of course being unknown, even at first glance. He proved they arrived at their destination by dismounting his horse and leading it to the small nearby pasture within the fence then he let it go to do it's own thing, as he went to the front door and knocked, and a few seconds later, a woman who must've been in her mid-40's answered.

"Son!" She exclaimed in amazement "I...I didn't think you'd be back so soon."

"Things have gotten...sour, as of late mother." Ranger said before embracing her. "Where's father?"

"He's in the back working." His mother then noticed the rest. "Who are they?"

"This is my team." Ranger said as he motioned to them, they all nodded or bowed.

"It's good to meet you ma'am." Priestess said warmly.

"Yes indeed." Fighter said in tow.

"I heard you brewed his potions?" Wizard said curiously.

"I have him, and for others as well. It's a craft I take a great deal of pride in. Please come in." Ranger's mom said, then moved to let them inside, and Warrior let off a whistle.

"This is the best-looking cabin I've ever been in." He said looking around.

"You're too kind." Ranger's mom said flattered. "Make yourselves at home, I'll go fetch your father son."

"Actually, I'd like to see him with you." Ranger said which made everyone curious.

"As you wish." his mom said as the two went to see his father.

"Should we go with them?" Warrior said cautiously.

"No." Fighter said which got everyone's attention. "We have to do this at his pace, not before he's ready; I know he'd do the same for us."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Warrior said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ranger and his mom found his father working on some of the straw training dummies they had in their back yard. He was about the same age as Ranger's mom, and it was clear that Ranger got most of his looks from his father.

"Dear?" Ranger's mom asked which made him pause. "Our son came back." The man then turned to see them, looked his son over, then the two closed the distance to embrace.

"It's...good to see you again son." Ranger's father said.

"Likewise father. I know I said I would put the skills you entrusted to me to make a difference, and I intend to see that promise through but..." Ranger trailed off.

"But you hit a large bump in the road, just as I predicted." Ranger's father said which took the other two by surprise "The road to greatness is never a clean one son, especially if a promise is involved."

"But since you have your own team..." Ranger's mom started which made his dad's eyes go wide.

"You have your own team now?" He asked with pride in his voice. "Very good son!"

"Father, please." Ranger said somberly.

"I know son, but this means that whatever is troubling you? It's days are numbered, and if I know anything about you, it's that anyone who would follow you is in good hands, and I'm certain you wouldn't pick people you don't trust to follow you." Ranger stopped to think about his father's words; trust wasn't even on his mind when he offered to join the team, much less be chosen to lead them, but it made perfect sense nonetheless, especially since there's _no way_ he didn't prove his own trustworthiness to them by now; they'd have to be the most dishonest people in the world to have faked as much as they showed him, which would of course, earn them his resentment. Not enough to get him to wish whatever horrors the goblins have to offer upon them, of course not, but still.

"I...did actually lead them to victory on their- I mean _our_ first, and so far only mission..but I don't think any training could've prepared me for what I've seen." Ranger said.

"Well, how about we just take a while to get you settled before we handle it together, o.k. son?" His mother asked which Ranger couldn't help but nod to, and with that, they went inside to meet the team again, who were just sitting in different chairs, apparently testing them, but when Ranger and his parents arrived, they snapped their attention to him.

"I take it your my son's team?" Ranger's dad asked.

"Yes sir." Warrior said alittle nervous around the larger and likely more hardcore man.

"Well, friends of my son's, are friends of his family." Ranger's dad said. "Feel free to take whatever supplies you need, within reason of course, and if you want any training? Well, there's plenty of that to do in this area."

"That's true." Ranger said. "You've seen how I fight; most of my skills were taught by my father here, same applies to my gear, but the training behind their use? That was thanks to the environment _and_ him."

"Actually...I would like to see how she makes her potions. Maybe I could make use of her craft myself someday." Wizard said.

"I'd love to dear." Ranger's mom said with delight. She then, lead Wizard to one of the small buildings around the cabin and left Ranger with his father and other three teammates.

"Well, I guess we might as well get some practice in." Warrior said.

"Oh yes." Fighter said while cracking her knuckles.

"Come with me." Ranger's dad said with a smile as they went outside to train.

* * *

Warrior and Fighter proceeded their training with hitting the dummies to show their styles, then with Ranger's dad stopping them so he could show _his_ style; the contrast was night and day; Warrior tended to overextend himself which not only left him open, but also wasted energy and time that could be used for offense, defense, or both. Fighter's case wasn't nearly as bad, but she desperately needed better gear, which for now, included a set of spare leather gloves with metal knuckles, which she was actually quite fond of; they let her not only punch harder, but also eliminated her fear of breaking her hands. Ranger's dad on the flip side, was quick, to-the-point, and apparently precise; he hit places on the dummy that seemed not only hard to reach, like the sides of the knees, but also painful; Warrior actually cringed and groaned when Ranger's dad crouched and stabbed the dummy between the legs.

"Your father seems to know quite a bit." Priestess said as she and Ranger were sitting together on a large stone on the sidelines.

"He should. Like I said before, he taught me most of what I know; the rest being my own experimentation, but I'm not the only one he trained, not by a long shot." Ranger said.

"There were others?" Priestess asked

"Oh yes." Ranger said emphatically. "He trained other rangers, he trained some passers by every now and then, he even showed my mother a thing or two."

"That's insane." Priestess said mirroring what she said to Goblin Slayer when he mentioned how much he practiced his goblin slaying.

"You've no idea, and no, he didn't train either of us because we're his family; we both asked him to ourselves, as did the rest of the other non-rangers he trained." Ranger said seriously.

"I see." Priestess said before turning her attention to the three people training.

"O.k. now let's see what you two can do as a team." Ranger's dad said as Warrior and Fighter looked at each other. "You two seem to know each other quite well, and as a wise man said: a couple that fights together, stays together."

"What?" Warrior asked flustered and he and Fighter looked at each other "We're-"

"We're not like that!" Fighter said with both power and truth in her voice.

"Oh, then you must've grown up together." Ranger's dad assumed.

"_That_ we did." Fighter said coming down from her flustered state of mind.

"Ah, siblings with no blood ties, just like my fellow rangers. Anyway, how often have you fought as a unit?" Ranger's dad said.

"You mean one of us does something, then the other does something, or we do something at the same time?" Warrior asked.

"Either." Ranger's dad said.

"Not often..." Warrior said honestly.

"Well, that's about to change." Ranger's dad said with challenge in his voice "Both of you, fight me." He said as he put on some forearm bracers, then grabbed a shield from the nearby weapon rack, threw Warrior a wooden sword about as big as his steel one, and stood with the shield covering him "Now!" The two rookies charged him from opposite sides. Warrior rushed him from the shielded side and came down on his shield which took the hit with no problem, and Fighter tried to kick Ranger's dad but her kick was dodged, she tried again, but Ranger's dad pushed Warrior down with his shield and tripped Fighter with his foot as she raised her other leg; her second hit didn't even land. The ease by which they were floored was pretty demoralizing to say the least. "You two lost because you tried to overpower me, but it should be clear now that that won't happen. Again." The three got into new positions and Ranger piped up.

"Warrior! Attack faster, not just harder!" He called.

"I'll try boss!" Warrior called back and he braced himself to charge Ranger's dad, and when he did, he went directly for the shield, and once it was raised, he ducked and attacked the feet instead, and Ranger's dad knelt to simulate the effect, and Fighter came from the same and grabbed his head as if he was about the snap his neck, but obviously she didn't even think about it. Ranger then stood up in awe at how much they improved so quickly. His dad responded by laughing.

"How ironic." He said between laughs "I crush the two of you, and then _you_ crush _me_!" Fighter then released his head after seeing Ranger's awe-struck face

"I wasn't going to kill him." She said assuredly

"I wasn't thinking that. I just...I never thought I'd see you two improve _that_ much all at once, especially like this." Ranger said.

"They didn't. You two merely caught me off-guard, which is impressive don't get me wrong, but there are still more miles to walk." His dad said seriously before he tossed the shield aside "Now, let's see how well you can adapt." He then raised his fists in a fighting stance, and Warrior looked at his wooden sword curiously "Take it, or get rid of it. I don't care." Warrior decided to take it and started approaching slowly for once; his opponent's presence along was enough to make him think more carefully, his leader's previous input, and the seriousness of their goblin slaying quest also made some old habits, ironically, die easily.

He went to one side while Fighter went to the other to try and sandwich their opponent, but they each had a feeling it wouldn't make too much of a difference, and when they finally attacked, they were proven right; Fighter had to duck under a punch, then sidestep an uppercut, while Warrior tried to swing from behind Ranger's dad, but his swing was blocked with one arm, and he took a minor kick to the gut which recoiled him, and Fighter tried her own kick, which _did_ land but it barely staggered her larger foe who then grabbed her arm when she tried punching him, and shoved her into her partner. "You're both getting better; I've seen more experienced people give up by now." he then looked at his son who was still focused on the match "Would you two like to take a break, or continue?"

"Let's keep this up." Warrior said after Fighter nodded at him, then they both stood up and they both took a couple of deep, cleansing breathes, before attacking yet again, this time yelling, and Warrior's downward swing, was sidestepped, before his opponent shoved him behind him, and Fighter_ narrowly_ ducked a jab to the face and landed a few rapid jabs of her own to the man's gut, and Warrior put his sword's tip to his neck from the side while he was busy with Fighter.

"Very good. Very good indeed. My son has found himself quite a pair of teammates." Ranger's dad said, then looked to Priestess "And I'm certain that his other two are equally as impressive."

"The Priestess actually helped quite a bit on our quest." Ranger said not daring to look her in the face. "And not just with her power." This got his dad's attention.

"I see..." He said knowingly "Well, that should do it for training for now." He then motioned to the other building near the cabin. "That happens to be a barracks my trainees would use to sleep it, and we recently refurbished it, so feel free to look it over and maybe stay the night if you wish."

"Thank you sir." Warrior said before Fighter nodded and the two took off to look it over.

"The same goes for you Priestess." Ranger's dad said before she stood up, bowed a little and went to see the barracks with her teammates. "Son, come with me." The two then went into their shed, which turned out to be a makeshift blacksmith.

* * *

"Wow, this place gets more and more impressive." Warrior said as he looked over the barracks which had no less than eight beds, each one worthy of it's own room, complete with their own small desks, candles, and even colored blankets and pillows. Fighter then removed her boots and tried one out, the bed was soft, but not too soft, and the pillow was just hard enough to hold her head's weight, but not soft enough to smother her face from both sides.

"If all the beds are like this, I'm setting in for the night for sure." Fighter said blissfully before Warrior tested a bed himself and he himself softened right away, then they noticed Priestess come in. "Priestess, you've _got_ to try one of these beds..."

"Um, o.k." She said before settling down. "Wow...these are like the ones we slept in at the temple."

"Oh?" Fighter said curiously.

"Yes, I actually grew up at a temple.I...never knew my parents." Priestess said somewhat sadly.

"I'm sorry." Fighter said sitting up. "I lost my mother when I was young, and my father before I became an adventurer." Her face then hardened a bit. "I swore before his grave I'd put the skills he taught me to use."

"You've honored your vow so far." Priestess said with a small smile. "You and Warrior did great in your training, and against those goblins."

"Thank you." Fighter said before Warrior cleared his throat.

"In my case, I wanted to become an adventurer after hearing all the stories; I thought it would be a chance for glory, but heh, look how that turned out." He said said seriously.

"You also wanted to help your friend right?" Priestess said hopefully.

"Of course I did. We might not always get along, but we wouldn't abandon each other." Warrior said.

"And he speaks for both of us." Fighter said before getting up "Now, I believe we have a fourth teammate to introduce to this silky paradise." They then left to find Wizard who was still with Ranger's mom in her apothecary lab brewing a third potion after reading, re-reading, and noting what to do and what not to do when making each potion type. After two failures, she finally got the first potion right, then tried another, with even more caution, and when that was done right, she tried a third one, which was almost ready. About ten seconds later, it was ready to be cooled off, and when she had a gap in her work, she heard footsteps, and then her team showed up and stared in awe at the contraptions in the lab.

"I'll leave you all alone." Ranger's mom said as she left.

"Hey. How did it go?" Wizard asked alittle drained from her work.

"Great. Ranger's father is one hell of a trainer. It wasn't easy, but it was definitely worth it." Warrior said.

"Says the guy who only landed _two_ hits." Fighter teased.

"Hey! My first hit got you a chance to seal our first win, and my second hit _did_ seal our second win. So if it wasn't for me, he would've been floored more than two times." Warrior snapped.

"Yeah, whatever." Fighter said teased again before turning to Wizard. "How it it go here?"

"Ugh, tiring. This potion-brewing business is _not_ as easy as I thought. There's all kinds of different recipes, and each have different steps to follow, some have more steps than others, and don't get me started on how a some potion types can turn into a poison if some things aren't done right." Wizard said.

"Yeesh! I'm getting exhausted just thinking about that." Warrior said with a raised eyebrow.

"However, I did make some good progress if I do say so myself." Wizard said as she held up a light blue potion "Did you know it's possible to make potions that restore one's magic reserves? Although, I don't know if it works on your miracles Priestess."

"I don't think so. My miracles come from the Earth Mother herself, not my own magic." Priestess said.

"But what happens someone who doesn't use _any_ magic? Does it give them magic?" Warrior asked.

"Don't know, don't want to know. Well, I don't want to take any risks with you two." Wizard said.

"But some people don't need magic to work wonders. Just wanting to do what's right can work all the magic it needs to." Fighter said thoughtfully.

"True. Ranger certainly worked some on you." Wizard said knowingly, Fighter then looked at her funny. "Come on Fighter, you obviously like him."

"Even if I did-" Fighter started before Warrior cut her off.

"It quite clear you do." He said with total seriousness which she didn't expect. "Think about it, when he came back from that goblin den and we returned to the Guild tavern, you had the softest look on you face I've ever seen, and it was just for him. Granted that can be seen as you simply being extremely compassionate, but that's excluding how...dare I say it, unstable your reactions are whenever he's brought up, and don't say I reacted the same way when his dad suggested we were a couple; you and I grew up together; we just met Ranger, and he's shown how much he cares for us. Cares for _you_." Fighter then recalled how he treated her leg when the hobgoblin tried to crush her foot and he inspected her and even gave her a potion. "And don't get me started on how you were the first of us to walk after him on the way to his home."

"Fine." Fighter said with a sigh "I do want to see him come out of the funk he's in right now, and...he is pretty nice to look at, but...I can't just walk up to him and ask him what he feels, even if he wasn't feeling down."

"Then don't. Give him a chance to tell you without asking him directly." Wizard said, and Fighter than took a moment to think before speaking.

"Alright. I don't know when, but I'll talk to him." Fighter said.

"And not to pressure you, but you should probably do so soon, since he's not willing to leave until he's better, and you might be the only one who can fix him." Warrior said still serious.

"Look, I already said I'll talk to him, now please leave me be." Fighter snapped before leaving the lab.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ranger and his dad were going through the makeshift blacksmith they had, and Ranger recalled the times he used to come in there and look around as a kid, and later work on some things with his dad, and later still on his own; they even tested and reforged a pair of swords over and over until they became good enough for him to rely on them to this day. The same goes for his knives, and even his crossbow, even though it was a pain in the crotch to make. Now, they were each sorting out some tools his dad left there to go through for later before he looked at the dummies first.

"You remember what we did here?" His dad said.

"Yes." Ranger said softly.

"You were weaker then, yet still as curious as you are now." His dad said.

"I noticed." Ranger said as he kept sorting the tools out.

"I see you still remember where they go." His dad said with more pride.

"Of course." Ranger said still stoic as before.

"You also remember what being a ranger is like. Harsh, but honest. Unstable, yet steadfast. Brutal, yet balanced. Not everyone can handle this kind of life, but it's my greatest joy that my son can handle all of this, and be of service to the greater good, in _all_ ways." " His dad said...then Ranger violently swept all the tools he didn't put away yet off the table in a fit of rage before turning to his father.

"What do you know?! Just what the _hell_ do you know?!" He snapped, his father then turned to his son without any fear or regret in his face.

"I know that you've experienced, or at least know others have experienced something terrible. And that it has turned your compassion into a curse." His dad said calmly yet seriously.

"Curse?" Ranger breathed out, aghast that compassion as a concept was put in a bad light.

"Yes. Whatever you saw was obviously unacceptable, but if you open your heart to too many people, their combined suffering will smother you. Heaven be with your team if they follow the same path." His dad said.

"Leave them out of this..." Ranger growled.

"Son, they were involved in this before you even got here." His dad said, and Ranger had enough; he yelled, and charged his father, only to be pinned to a table with one hand around his throat so he couldn't yell anymore. "You are their leader, therefore, if you have a problem, so do they, and you, right now, are choosing to be a coward!" Ranger stopped struggling, clearly hurt by what his _father_ just called him. "You are so focused on the fact that you couldn't fix what happened, that you're ignoring what you _can_ do to prevent it from happening again, and if you continue to focus on what happened, then your team should not even know what you look like, let alone follow your lead." His father then let him go and let his son fall to his knees in sorrow. "Oh my son...other people's problem can become yours, but I never taught you that they don't have to be, or why that is. In this regard, this is partially my own failure. I'm sorry..." He then left his son to think about what was said.

* * *

Later at night, Ranger came out of the blacksmith after he finished cleaning up the place, and headed to his favorite spot: the garden with the 10ft-wide pond with the stone benches and various flowers, grasses, and even small statues of different mythical beasts surrounding it, but when he got there, he saw Fighter moving her arms and legs about in a controlled, slow, and graceful manner. He always thought she was beautiful, but never saw her put it to actual _use_, even if this was unintentional. He was so entranced, he didn't dare go over and interrupt, instead he waited for her to finish before approaching the pond.

"Oh! Hey boss." She said.

"Hello." Ranger said.

"Did you come here to take in the scenery too?" Fighter asked as Ranger sat down on a stone bench.

"Yes I did. This was always the place I went to for alone time." He then looked at the pond. "Trouble's eyes were always blind to this place."

"That is probably the most poetic thing I've ever heard." Fighter said and she joined him. "Did...you see my Kata?"

"You mean that series of motions? Yes I did. It was quite nice to watch." Ranger said and Fighter smiled at this.

"It's purpose is to train one's control over their body's power." She said.

"Hard to say no to that. Do you know much about Wizard?" Ranger asked.

"All I know is that she graduated from the sage's academy in the capital. Other then that? I don't know." Fighter said.

"What about Warrior? What was he like before we met?" Ranger asked.

"Oh, about the same as he was when you met; nothing's really changed, at least...before our quest." Fighter said cautiously. At this, Ranger looked at the pond again.

"You're beautiful, have strength, courage, and kindness to match, you grew up with him, and you still aren't involved? Will I _ever_ understand that?" Ranger asked...and Fighter was _not_ expecting that from him, especially not so casually.

"You...really think _that_ highly of me?" She asked while blushing slightly.

"How can I not?" Ranger asked just above a whisper.

"Ranger...Priestess told us what happened in that den. There were no right answers." Fighter said softly before Ranger snapped at her just as she finished talking.

"It's not just about what happened to the girls! It's also about what could've happened if I wasn't there." Ranger then looked right at her. "I have seen the impact I had on this team. If I wasn't there, then what happened to them, might've happened to all of you. The very _thought_ of that happening shatters me without effort." He then looked away not wanting to see him crack. "I was so disgusted with what those cursed goblins did to those girls, I actually _wanted_ to see Goblin Slayer kill their children. I had to see their efforts go to waste, even if they had no hand in the girls' torment. I tried to get those thoughts out of my head, but whenever I do...I remember the girls' faces. Dear S_upreme_ in Heaven their _faces_!" With that, Ranger dug his hands into his face and broke down weeping his eyes out in spite of himself. Fighter was so stunned by his display of how deep his compassion ran that she couldn't move, or even think clearly for about ten seconds. After she saw him work a good chunk of his misery out of his system, she knelt in front of him, and hugged him tightly, which made him stop crying right away.

"You _were_ there. You were there, and all five of us made it out of that cave in one piece, and we're all honored to have you as our leader, and I am proud to be the first to acknowledge you as our leader, and when we go back, we can put an end to the goblins and make sure what you found never happens again." Fighter whispered, and Ranger then sucked in a hard, trembling breathe, which she knew meant that more of his anguish and despair were fading away, then he hugged her back.

Neither kept track of how long they embraced, it could've easily been 20 seconds but each second was an eternity; he knew he could spend an eternity like that, their arms around each other, her angelic voice in his ear, speaking of a hopeful future, and reminding him of what was right with the world, but he managed to pull away from her, and when he did, she used her sleeves to dry his tears and gave him the brightest smile he ever saw, which he couldn't help but return. Even through tear-filled eyes, she was a sight to behold; in that moment, giving a smile just for him, kneeling in front of him in his favorite place in the world, and surrounded by the light of the twin moons, she was a goddess, _his_ goddess, one whom he never wanted to see leave his side.

"When a man's world is burning, the hands of a beautiful woman can smother the flames..." Ranger whispered as he closed his eyes and held her hands to his face.

"Now _that_ is the most poetic thing I've ever heard." Fighter said which made Ranger let out some genuine laughter, a sign that he was _finally _on the road back to his former self, then he looked at her again "And, while we're on the subject, you are quite possibly the most selfless, courageous, and if I may, handsome man I've ever met."

"Well, I'm glad we're on the same page." He joked, and got some laughter out of her. "Look at us, we've known each other less than a day, and we're baring our souls to each other."

"It's that, or we go mad." Fighter said.

"I'd rather we bare our souls." Ranger said before scoffing. "Even when trouble finally finds me here, it wishes it didn't."

"Technically your inner demons followed you here." Fighter said which he smirked at.

"Well, take _that_ you demonic assholes!" He joked which they both laughed at. "Now, I'm grateful beyond words for this, but it's getting late."

"You're right." Fighter said as they both stood up and she let go of his face, although he didn't let go of her hands. "Here's hoping some rest with finish your healing."

"Me too, but my healing was possible thanks to you." Rangere said.

"You would've done the same for me." Fighter said which made him smile and caress her cheek.

"Without a moment's pause. Good night." Ranger said softly.

"Wait. Don't you want to sleep with us in the barracks? It's _really_ well put-together." Fighter said as he turned to the cabin.

"Normally I would, but my healing needs to finish on it's own." Ranger said.

"O.k. good night." Fighter said as she joined her team in the barracks.

* * *

The next morning, just after dawn, Ranger woke up, then tensed his muscles, then breathed deeply, then tensed again, on repeat until he was awake enough, then he put on his armor and cloak, which his mother was generous enough to clean for him, then he went to join his team in the barracks.

"Oh, morning boss!" Warrior said.

"Good morning team." Ranger said clearly feeling better.

"You sound alot better sir." Priestess said brightly.

"I am Priestess. In fact, I'm better than I've ever been." Ranger said.

"That's great news boss." Wizard said as she finished putting her hat and cloak on "Are we ready to leave?"

"Not quite. I believe I owe someone a fight?" Ranger said as he looked at Fighter, who couldn't help but smirk.

"Hell yeah..." she said and the team followed him with Warrior, Wizard and Priestess taking a moment to look at each other in disbelief before following them to the back yard then Ranger removed his cloak and scaled armor, put it on the side, then looked at Fighter

"It should go without saying, but this is a demo, not a fight, and we shouldn't give this our all accordingly, but...how many hits should mark a win?" Ranger asked.

"Five." His father said as he revealed himself, and went to sit down. "And I will keep an eye on who hits whom, unless you two do it yourselves that is."

"Alright." Fighter said as she took her place and stance with an open hand in front of her, and a closed fist at her side, then Ranger a similar stance, but with both fists in front of him. They stood there staring each other down for a moment, before Ranger stepped forward suddenly, making Fighter flinch a bit, but when Ranger did it again, he got no reaction, then he lunged forward and put his fist in her face "That's one." Fighter then quickly pushed his fist aside and put her palm in his face.

"_That's_ one." She said clearly enjoying herself already before they each reformed their positions, then Ranger skipped forward and put his foot in her gut.

"That's two, focus..." He said before moving back again, and then the two started throwing strike after strike after strike, and neither landed a hit until Fighter put the side of her hand on his neck.

"Two for me, step it up." She said before taking yet another position and they each start feeling the pressure, but neither could complain; it was like the tensity before fighting the goblins, only this was actually pleasant, addicting even, but Ranger lunged at her again ducking under a punch only to have to block a knee to the face, then he pushed her knee aside and put his fist at her jaw.

"That's three for me." He said before moving back, then she lunged at him for once, sidestepped a front kick, grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him to the ground making him fall backwards, but she broke his fall before he could be seriously hurt.

"That counts as a this was a real fight, she would not have saved you." His dad said.

"That's true..." Ranger said alittle disappointed.

"Well, three for _me_." Fighter said smugly before the two got ready again, then she rushed him, he moved to the side, but she expected that and spin kicked him in the chest with surprising speed "Now it's _four_ for me, watch out now."

"Watch out for a come-from-behind win." Ranger said back, as he faked a jab to the face only to throw a real sweep with his leg between her feet, pushed her down and put his foot on her gut. "Like that fourth point I got!" They re-positioned again, and stared each other down with the stakes getting to their heads; neither wanted to lose to the other, but it was still possible, in the end, she threw a roundhouse kick to his side, and he threw a haymaker punch at the side of her head, both hitting at the same time, her getting floored, and him wincing heavily and kneeling.

"Each hit at the same time. Do you want to call it a draw, or continue?" Ranger's dad asked.

"I say draw." Fighter called.

"Me too." Ranger agreed.

"Alright, good match you two. Maybe in the future, you can add each other's moves to your own styles. You have to admit it's fitting." His dad said before heading out to let them get themselves together.

"Are you two o.k?" Priestess asked rushing into the "arena".

"We should be. Like I said, we didn't give it our all, and this should be nothing a health potion shouldn't fix." Ranger said.

"Speaking of which, I still have them." Wizard said showing the bag and giving one to each of the two opponents who each took a swig.

"So, you two lovebirds feel better now that you kicked the crap out of each other? Afterall, your dad said couples who fight together stay together." Warrior said somewhat teasingly.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't what he meant." Fighter said alittle annoyed. Sure she poured her heart out for Ranger last night, but it was between them alone, at least for now.

"Hey team! I have some things for you." Ranger's dad said as he came back with a small chest. He opened it and there was a shield the same size as Goblin Slayer's, and a sword and scabbard to match, as well as some vials Ranger recognized as poisons, an extra bag of crossbow bolts, and the icing on the cake was the same steel-knuckled leather gloves Fighter had earlier and some additional potions for their bag, which they distributed among themselves, with Warrior taking the sword and shield to use when he wasn't using his longsword, Fighter of course taking the gloves, Wizard taking the potions, and Ranger taking the rest. "There are things some of my fellow rangers used years ago, now they're yours."

"Thank you sir. We'll put these to good use." Priestess said on everyone's behalf.

"Of that, I have no doubt. But the real treasure is in the front yard." Ranger's dad said with a smile. He then led them there and there was a larger chest in a cart attached to Ranger's horse and when they opened it, they saw it was filled and gold, silver, and jewelry "Spoils of war, if you can even call fighting outlaw scumbags warfare."

"This...we could probably buy our _own_ barracks with this!" Warrior exclaimed.

"As long as you don't spend all of it at once. Son, come with me to get the cover." Ranger's dad said, and the two went to the barn to get the covering for the wagon.

"Father, where did you _really_ get that money?" Ranger said a tad suspicious which made his dad look around to see if they were alone then spoke.

"I told you once I wasn't always a ranger like you were right?" Ranger nodded and his dad sighed. "I...I was an outlaw myself son." Ranger's eyes turned to saucers. "I wronged many who were deserving, but also many who were not, and that money came from several caravans I robbed with my gang. My hope was always that you would avoid becoming the kind of person I was, which is why I abandoned the life of crime and joined the rangers, then I married your mother who never held my life's path against me, trained you and others, and never held it against you when you took your anger out on me; I felt I deserved no better. Just please, make all of this mean something." Ranger took a few seconds to process all of this, and he spoke.

"Of course father. May I ask what happened to your gang?" He asked.

"They're no longer with us." His dad said grimly which Ranger had no feelings towards considering what they represented. "Now, let's get this cover to the wagon." The two then took the cover to the wagon and the team helped get it attached when Ranger's mom came out.

"I promise I'll come back under better conditions mother." Ranger said and they hugged.

"I believe you son." His mother said before giving him a box with a sandwich in it. "Your favorite."

"Thank you." Ranger said before turning to his father who nodded at his son then Ranger got on the cart and had the horse take off with the team riding in the cart behind him.

* * *

The team got back to town 20 minutes later, alittle quicker than the last time, probably due to the horse being better-rested and better-fed and when they parked in front of the tavern, Ranger looked around for Goblin Slayer but he was nowhere in sight, then they went inside, and there was still no sign of him.

"Ranger! You and your team are back!" Guild Girl called.

"Yes, and we're better than ever." Ranger said with his original determination.

"Me and my co-workers were wondering if you were going to come back at all." She said alittle upset.

"I have my team to thank for that." Ranger said motioning to them . "Anyway, do you know someone who calls himself the Goblin Slayer?"

"Oh yes. He's quite a figure. He got his name rather quickly too; all he does is take goblin slaying quests, and has for years now." Guild Girl said emphatically.

"Where is he now?" Ranger asked.

"He went home I believe. There were no goblin slaying quests, so he just up and left. But there are _other_ quests on the board if you're up for it." Guild Girl said.

"So...what's next boss?" Wizard said as Ranger examined the board.

* * *

**"What's next?" indeed Wizard. Anyways, hope you don't mind the little cliffhanger there, just wanted to give some suspense, which will NOT take long to be fulfilled, just like writing this...really emotional chapter. Seriously, if that scene between Fighter and Ranger by the pond doesn't sell the foundation of their relationship, I don't know what will. I actually shed a few tears myself just writing it, and I'm just _writing_ it; Ranger's case must be so much worse, but at least he had that hot babe Fighter to ease his heart. Yes, I know I'm harping on about her looks, but come on, Ranger's looks were harped on too, so it sorta balances out. Also, they got their oh-so-glorious fight scene that was hinted at in part 1, so there's that. Now, fun fact: while I was writing this, it occurred to me that Fighter could be in the Blue Lantern Corps, since she was full of hope herself, and inspired hope in others, both of which are requirements for the Corps, and Blue Lanterns can increase the power of Green Lanterns, who are powered by willpower, which Ranger is qualified for, or is now; beforehand he could be in the Indigo Corps of compassion, for obvious reasons, but that's just my love for the Lantern Corps as a concept talking, though I do recommend looking into the rest of it; in my opinion, it's the best fictional concept in existence without question. Anyways, thanks for reading people, I've got another chapter on the way. Rate, review, and share if you please, and stay tuned.**

**Edit: I'm only somewhat right about Fighter...and minor spoiler, but she should be a Violet Lantern, or Star Sapphire if you want to be "That guy", because of how much love she expresses and acts on, especially later on...and in my sequel story for those of you unaware. I also try to make it a habit to go back and edit my stories, like I am now, so...eh.  
**


	3. Chapter 1 Part III

**Hello people and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team. We left off on a bit of a cliffhanger, but now the oh-so-insufferable wait is finally over,**

**Review responses: I couldn't _not_ make this story the way it is; what happened to the original team is completely unacceptable for reasons I think I made pretty clear. I mean, seriously, who the hell does that? As for Ranger's relation to the others: yes he _is_ supposed to be better than them by a solid margin, but since he grew up training to be a ranger, like how Goblin Slayer grew up training to be Goblin Slayer, it's sort of an apples to apples comparison, even though Ranger _wanted_ to be a ranger. As for Wizard and Warrior being quiet in the last part? Well, it wasn't really focused on them, but I intend to make up for that later, especially since Warrior and Ranger training together is part of the plan.**

**And I think you misunderstood the context Danny Barefoot; Wizard asked Ranger what was next, and she did so as he was examining the board, afterall, he _does_ lead them. As for him killing the captives? Well, I'm pretty sure I made Ranger's motives for the action, and how he responded to it pretty clear; he fell into a depression that Fighter had to break him out of, and...I REALLY doubt killing girls is more controversial than _stripping them of their will to live!_ Seriously, that is the single worst thing you can do to someone without question, and Goblin Slayer put Wizard out of her misery in the "actual" 1st episode, and he said himself she would've suffered longer if he didn't. Granted she wasn't violated, but still; GS mercy-killed a girl, and I haven't seen one person shake their fist at that. I myself actually got depressed over what Fighter went through, especially since she's a martial artist, same as me, so...in a way, she's my sister. And Goblin Slayer told Sword Maiden himself "I've seen what they do, from start to finish", so him telling Ranger to put the girls out of their misery is at least somewhat in character for him; I'm pretty sure he didn't do that himself in the "actual" 1st episode because it was dark enough, although I could be wrong, and...let's face it, Goblin Slayer isn't for the faint of heart as it is.**

**As for Sword Maiden herself? She _didn't_ get over it entirely; she's haunted by whatever the goblins did to her day and night; she says so herself, so I kinda doubt he would regret his mercy-killing entirely, although Sword Maiden will of course be part of the 2nd half, which should be fairly obvious. And I kinda doubt Goblin Slayer would go after other monsters except goblins unless he can help it, the others probably would though. Now, all that being said, I'm not personally offended at all, I'm just trying to make the method in my madness as well-known as possible; being offended and being serious about your cause are 2 different things, granted they're quite similar on the surface but still.  
**

**Minor spoiler alert: this chapter is going to involve the most action between this one and the previous 2, and there's a good reason for that. What is it? Let's find out alongside The Team, shall we?**

* * *

"What can you tell us about investigation quests?" Ranger asked Guild Girl.

"Only that they're the most unpredictable type of quest there is. You can encounter literally _anything_ on these kinds of quests." She said seriously.

"At least it will give us a chance to put our new gear to use." Warrior said,

"You got new gear?" Guild Girl asked before taking an actual look at them, "Did you get your team new gear Ranger?"

"Technically...someone I know did. But it _was_ because of me, indirectly." He said.

"If you guys keep this up, you'll get to Silver Rank in less than a year!" Guild Girl said still amazed with their progress.

"Speaking of which, when can we expect to get our ranks increased?" Warrior asked.

"That will be done in a promotion exam, which we will do in about a week from now. But until then, feel free to do quests to your heart's content." Guild Girl said.

"Like that investigation quest that apparently can have anything for us to encounter? That's a hard-shelled endeavor if I ever saw one." Wizard said.

"Maybe so, but we _do_ need the experience. Even if it's in exercising caution. This is exactly why that first goblin slaying quest was a blessing in disguise: it may have been an ordeal and a half, but look at us now." " Ranger said and Fighter's face brighten as their gaze met. "But before we do this investigation, we have some housing to look into."

"You _do_ know that will cost you quite a bit?" Guild Girl asked with concern.

"Don't worry, we weren't just given new items, but additional funds as well." Ranger said.

"Um, o.k. if you think you're set, then I wish you luck." Guild Girl said.

"Thank you very much." Ranger said and they left the tavern with the quest's instructions, and went to go find the right living quarters, which eventually came in the form of a medium-sized apartment building with rooms for everyone, granted it cost 25 silver pieces per person, but it was worth it.

* * *

"So...this is our place now. Let's see what we have to work with." " Wizard said, and each of the five rooms for the team was fairly uniform: each had a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, a nightstand, some space for additional placements which they would look into later, but for now, they held a small meeting in the main hall to discuss just what their next move will be.

"When should we leave boss?" Warrior asked.

"Well, for starters, we shouldn't do this on an empty stomach, and we need to put the rest of our funds in a safe." Ranger said which everyone strongly agreed with, especially the latter part; Heaven forbid someone take a stash that big from them.

"Um, sir? I just now remembered that we didn't use that pickaxe you mentioned in that cave. I know it's a sore topic but-" Warrior cuts Priestess off.

"No. You said you didn't want to go back there, and you have good reason for it, and we promised not to take you back." He said firmly.

"And even if we didn't, that place is too far out of our way. Even if it wasn't, it's unlikely it would be a worthwhile venture; we would've seen at least something worth mining if there was anything, even in the chaos of battle." Ranger said.

"I suppose so." Priestess said.

"Alright then." Ranger said standing up from his chair, as the rest do the same "Let's go on with our day." With that, the team left to get some breakfast, not too much that they'd be full, but still enough to hold them over until their investigation was done; Ranger even fed his horse accordingly, mostly with some veggies and a few apples, then they found a bank to keep their money in, after filling out some information for the staff to keep in mind, then they followed the map down another long dirt road, and about 30 minutes later, they spotted what looked to be a ruined monastery which made them all stop dead in their tracks.

"What in-?!" Ranger said while checking the map. "That is the place, but it looks like it's seen far better days."

"Maybe we're supposed to look into the cause?" Fighter asked.

"Or maybe some unsavory characters are using it as a base." Wizard said.

"No offense to the previous owners, but who'd want to live in _that_?" Warrior asked.

"The goblins lived in a cave of all places remember?" Fighter asked.

"Yeah but...they're goblins." Warrior said.

"Enough. Let's just go see what's going on."Ranger said, and with that, he had his horse go forward leaving the others to catch up, and when they got to it, Ranger began looking at the damage. "This place wasn't used in years given the weathering in the stones, but the roof...it looks like it was hit by something massive."

"Like a giant rock?" Warrior asked.

"I don't think so. There's no sign of anything heavy hitting the ground." Ranger said looking inside.

"How can you tell with all that debris in the way?" Wizard asked.

"Simple. The debris is all evenly distributed. In any case, let's look around the place, three of you go that way, and the last one come with me." " Ranger said, then he then pulled his crossbow. "And keep an eye peeled for anything threatening, or suspicious." He then circled around the monastery's left side, with Fighter following at a distance while the other three of course, went to it's right side, and as Ranger surveyed the area, he took a moment to admire the view.

The rolling grassy hills, the trees behind them, all under a clear sky and bright sun, it took his breathe away for a second, until the wind came, blew his hair into his face and he had to brush it back, then he continued his survey, until he stepped on something that made a clacking sound, which turned out to be a piece of a broken stained glass window, which he looked over, looked up and compare it to the rest of the window, only to see something mind-blowing: the picture was of a man on a horse with four people with him coming down the road; it's as if them coming there, was prophecy!

"Ranger?" Fighter asked softly to which he didn't respond right away, but looked at her still astonished. "What is it?"

"That window. It actually shows us coming here!" Ranger whispered harshly,and that immediately got Fighter's attention.

"How is that possible?" she asked.

"I don't know, but this got much more serious." Ranger said, before a muffled yell got their attention and they rushed to the other side, only to find Warrior swinging at some grass with his longsword, but it looked much less stupid when they noticed a beheaded snake at his feet, which Ranger recognized and made no effort to stop his comrade, in fact, he noticed Warrior's swings were faster, more precise, and he swing more often without sacrificing as much stamina, and eventually, he found a nest of the snakes, and he backed up to get his bearings, then finished off the snakes.

"Feel better?" Fighter asked with amusement.

"Much...wait, those were dangerous snakes right?" " Warrior asked.

"If they weren't, or if I didn't know, I would've stopped you." Ranger said.

"Right." Warrior said as he cleaned his sword with a cloth from his bag "Shall we continue?"

"Yes, did you find anything?" Ranger asked.

"Nothing but those snakes." Wizard said.

"Then let's look inside. Priestess, you and Wizard keep a lookout and let us know if you see anything, or anyone." Ranger said.

"Yes sir." Priestess said and the girls took their post, and the other three looked around.

"Yep, this is definitely a monastery." Warrior said as they ignored the debris, and looked over the pillars lining the room, arches at the tops, the benches organized on the floor, the stained glass windows of course, and the high-up ceiling, or what was left of it all.

"But we still don't know what caused this. Maybe a monster did it..." Fighter said.

"Like a dragon?" Warrior asked; he mentioned on in the goblin cave, but this time he was dead serious.

"But why would a dragon punch one hole in the roof of a monastery?" Fighter asked.

"That's what we're here to find out. On the off-chance this _was_ a dragon." Ranger said.

"Uh, boss? We've got company." " Wizard called, and the three inside rushed outside and saw a line of monks come out of the woods down the road to their right. Leading them was a man in a black robe, who was probably in his early 60's or later 50's, carrying a metal staff with a head that made it look _suspiciously_ good for fighting; he must've been the abbot, and in the middle, some monks were hauling a human-sized box, while others were carrying bags full of items, all of it made Ranger wonder how they weren't robbed, or if they were at all.

"Father Superior!." Priestess greeted with a bow.

"Hello my child. What brings you and your companions here?" Abbot asked with a smile.

"We were tasked with looking into what happened to your monastery Father. We would appreciate if you can let us know." Ranger said.

"Ah, this place was abandoned for the better part of a decade now. The brothers and I were assaulted by demons in our previous home. Fortunately most of us survived the attack, but our home was so badly damaged that we could no longer use it as a home, but then I remembered this place, and knew it would not only make a better, more easily defended home, but also enable us to provide greater services to the public." Abbot said.

"But Father...the monastery is in ruins." Priestess said.

"We have a way to remedy that problem child." Abbot said before turning to the monks "Brothers! Take the relic inside and prepare the ritual." With that, the monks went inside in the most organized fashion the team ever saw, then they parted the box on the side and knelt before the alter in the very front

"May I ask what's in the box Father?" Priestess asked.

"I am very glad you asked me that." Abbot said as he walked towards it with the team following, and when he opened the box, the contents made everyone exclaim: it was a suit of pure white armor with what looked like plates made of diamond scattered throughout the design, complete with a sword and shield; the power the armor gave off was practically tangible.

"Are you planning on wearing that armor Father?" Priestess asked.

"Oh no, it's not the armor, but the power that I believe all of you can feel that garners my attention." Abbot said as he moved his hand over it. "And in case any of you are wondering, no you cannot wear this; only someone chosen by the Supreme God himself has a chance of harnessing it's immeasurable power, even then, the only one who ever used it was destroyed by it."

"Who _was_ the only one to use it?" Ranger asked.

"The first one who defeated the Demon Lord, the Supreme's Champion." Abbot said.

"If the armor cannot be worn, why retrieve it?" Wizard asked.

"The armor itself might be useless, but it's power is still available, at least in part, to servants of the Supreme God, and as fortune would have it, I happen to be one." Abbot said.

"Father. We have done as you said." A portly monk said.

"Very good. Head underground and brace yourselves." Abbot said before he waved his hand and a secret door next to the alter opened in the floor, then the monks went underground, and when they did, Abbot sealed the door behind them. "Now, as for how this place was damaged...I do not know, but I do know how we can find out, but for now, I will restore this place." Just as the Abbot approached the alter, the world outside the monastery went completely black in less than a second, but they could somehow still see perfectly fine. "What in-? Everyone! Behind the alter! This is a Hellshroud! Demons often use these to trap and isolate their prey!" He then rushed to the armor, put his spare hand on it then his whole body glows, starting with his hand as he speaks "With the Supreme God as my witness and companion, I summon his holy might, enough to purge the corrupt and spare the pure, in this land, and all!" Just as he finishes, some demons drop down through the hole in the roof, most were goblin-sized imps, but two were bigger than hobgoblins, were armored and carried serrated greatswords and the team shows concern for the old monk, but he himself shows no fear. "You are unwelcome on this sacred earth, demonic filth!" His staff's head then glowed. "Be purged!" He then planted his staff into the ground, and the demons were vaporized and the Hellshroud vanished.

"That...that was the most insane feat of magic I've ever seen! How much power did you take from that armor?" Wizard asked in awe.

"Enough to restore my powers to full strength." Abbot said.

"O.k...now that _is_ insane. How strong are you?" Warrior asked, and Priestess looked at her recalling what she said to GS about his practice.

"Ten years ago, when the Demon Lord was last defeated, I defended this monastery alone against an army of undead, under the command of a Lich who served the Demon Lord, and for my efforts, I was glorified as the one who crippled the armies of the undead, saved countless lives, and was awarded a Gold Rank." Abbot said.

"You're a _Gold Rank_?!" the whole team yelled all at once

"Was. I gave up adventuring after the Demon Lord was defeated by the Archbishop and her ilk, and eventually, become an abbot." Abbot said.

"You knew the archbishop?" Priestess asked.

"Yes I do. I've only met her once, but even then, her power rivaled my own, and she herself was lovely beyond words." The Abbot said softly.

"Oh?" Ranger asked.

"Yes. She probably could've done what I did without draining this armor, and possessed a figure, visage, and even a voice so majestic that people actually questioned if she was human. I wonder what's become of her between then, her becoming archbishop, and now?" Abbot asked, then a group of imps bursts out of the ground next to him, only to have all their heads smashed in by the Abbot's staff, which he swung with nearly blinding speed, quite impressive for an old man, even if he was just charged with magic, then he dashes across the room, to cave in the head of a larger demon who popped out of the ground to pounce at him, then he went outside, with the team following at a distance and sees the Abbot firing a beam of light from his staff's head at some demons who went for Ranger's horse which made him shrivel up inside with concern for his horse only for his fears to be snuffed out when the Abbot's beam vaporized the demons, but left the horse unharmed.

Then he unleashed a burst of force at some demons who rushed from behind, staggering them enough for the Abbot to smash their heads as well, 2 per second, then more showed up only for the Abbot to kick one so hard that it, and the ones around it get sent flying into the demons behind them, then he sweeps his mace with enough force and shatter them all without even touching them, and blow down the grass and kick up a cloud of dust in the process, which obscures the vision of the rest of the demons, and makes his movements even harder to keep track of for the team; his movements were nearly instant as it was, although they could tell the Abbot was still wastelanding the remaining demons without any trouble, and when the dust finally cleared, he looked around, saw that the assault was over, then casually walked back inside like nothing happened at all. The entire display of power, speed, and skill left the team completely speechless; how strong was this man in his prime?

"You...Father, truly are a Gold Rank. That kind of power shouldn't even be possible for a human being."" Ranger said in awe.

"With the Supreme on your side, many things become possible. I only drained that armor enough to restore my powers; the Champion who used it was strong enough to single-handedly defeat the Demon Lord, and an army of his minions, and devastated the battlefield itself in the process. Compared to that, my display was pathetic." Abbot said as he headed towards the alter.

"Wait! What if more demons show up?" Wizard asked worried.

"That was the main assault force. The first demon group was a hunting party, a vanguard if you will, but when they failed, the demons lost what little patience they had, and launched their full force." Abbot said.

"You know quite a bit about demons don't you Father?" Fighter said.

"Of course." Abbot said as he slowed down and planted his staff into a small hole in the alter "Demons were everywhere a decade ago; learning how they fight was a must, also I can sense demonic powers."

"What are you doing Father Superior?" Priestess asked.

"What else? Restoring the abbey." " Abbot said before he then knelt down holding his hands out to each side. "By the grace and might of the Supreme God, Lord of the Heavens, Master of the world. I, his servant and friend ask the forces of his creation to wash their power over this place. Let this place stand as a monument to his presence on this world once again! I order everything to be as it must!" His staff's head glowed light blue as the prayer progressed, and as if the team wasn't amazed enough already, specks of energy flow out of the head of his staff, and attach themselves to the walls, removing their weathering, other specks attach to the pieces of debris, which all move to their respective locations, and even the undamaged things were moved to a more organized spot.

Priestess herself was so moved by the beauty of the display that she smiled and shed tears, which everyone else didn't notice due to being overwhelmed themselves, although not as much. Luckily the demons all dissolved upon death, so them being cleaned wasn't necessary, which includes the blood on the staff's head. When it was done the Abbot stood and looked over his work before removing his staff. "It is done, let this day mark the beginning of a new chapter in the story of the Brotherhood of the Supreme." He then turned to the team "As for how this place was destroyed, while the Supreme worked his miracles, I used the miracle of Vision, and saw that the ceiling merely collapsed from weathering."

"That's _it?_ I assumed a dragon smashed it!" Warrior exclaimed.

"How disappointing." Fighter teased.

"Indeed As much as I'd hate to see this place destroyed again, I do have to admit seeing a dragon in action is quite a sight to behold." " Abbot said as he went to the secret door and opened it "Come out brothers. The battle is won."

"_Battle_? I think you mean massacre!" Warrior exclaimed as the monks came back up to the surface .

"Your miracle worked even on the floor below Father." The portly monk from earlier said.

"Oh?" Abbot asked.

"The wood was decaying and there was dust everywhere, and I believe there was evidence of rat infestation. But no longer." The monk said.

"But none of the energy used on this place went underground." Ranger said.

"Maybe we just didn't see it. This miracle was truly a sight to behold." Priestess said.

"Yes indeed. I doubt I'll ever forget this." Fighter said while smiling.

"I can make this adventure truly memorable if you wish." Abbot said.

"_How_? We saw you wipe out a horde of demons without breaking a sweat, witnessed probably one of the greatest miracles ever used, both of which were _before_ we discovered you was transporting a legendary suit of armor and learned you were Gold Ranked. What could _possibly_ top this?" Wizard asked in utter astonishment.

"Equipment used by a Gold Rank." Abbot said simply which got everyone's attention "Now, if you'll please follow me." he then went down the stairs with the team following as the monks sat in the benches and bowed their heads. When they reached below, they saw another small alter at the end of a long hallway, but several other branching hallways, they followed the Abbot but looked through the branching paths and saw one with a pantry, and wine cellar,, another which was a library, and the last was the longest by far, led to a chamber filled with storage chests, most of which were empty, but some had a small amount of coin in them, not enough to make the place worth robbing, but still while others had some items that must've been used for sacred rituals, but the long one in the middle was what was the Abbot focused on, when he opened it there was a silver book with a strange icon on it, a necklace which has a faint aura about it, and a medium-sized vial filled with water, blessed water most likely. He then grabbed the book and gave it to Wizard "The spells in this book were used by a former teammate of mine, who was also Gold Ranked, may they serve you as well as they served him."

"Gold Ranked spells?" Wizard breathed out as she slowly reached out to take the book and gave it a skim, the spells she saw were staggering: some involved putting enchantments on items, others involved repairing items, others involved twisting the environment, and some even involved summoning elementals to fight for the caster. There were also tricks that she didn't even know about in the sage's academy, like charging spells to make them stronger, or saying the spell in your mind instead of out-loud, which was obviously useful for surprising foes. "I will _happily_ take this." Priestess then nudged her "I mean, thank you very much Father."

"As for you my child." Abbot said as he gave Priestess the vial. "This is water blessed by the Supreme God himself. Sprinkle some on your staff before a battle, and your miracles will be peerless, but do _not_ douse your staff in the water; that would be the epitome of a shameful waste."

"Of course not Father Superior! Thank you very much." Priestess said.

"And you...I can tell you are the type that prefers to fight with no weapon." Abbot said as he turned to Fighter, then gives her the necklace "This necklace transmits your willpower itself into physical strength and endurance; the more you desire to finish the fight, the more robust your body will become, however it will make you no more than five times stronger, so don't get too reckless."

"Of course not, thank you Father." Fighter said and she put on the necklace which she immediately felt the effects of "Whoa! Suddenly I feel like a walking battering ram! I must use this thing wisely."

"As for you two. I'm afraid that's all I have, but your Wizard companion can be of greater use than I can regardless." " Abbot said, then Ranger and Warrior both gave him funny looks. "Some spells in that book involve fixing, enhancing, or even enchanting equipment, and since you two have quite a few pieces on your persons, she should be most useful to you both."

"Just don't rely on me. I can't repair a hundred things at once, nor will I." Wizard said as she looked up from reading.

"That shouldn't be a problem Father, and thank you again. Let's go." Ranger said as they turned to leave.

"Wait. I would like to speak to you alone." Abbot said, then Ranger signaled them to go as he stayed with the Abbot. "I can tell these people mean a great deal to you."

"They do indeed Father." Ranger said.

"I can also tell that you know the reasons for their loyalty, and there is no question the five of you will go quite far, but...I sense a great rage in your heart, one that is constantly screaming at you to let it out, and while I do not expect you to quell it, I _must_ ask that you do not let it blind you to your true self." Abbot said.

"I understand my place Father, and I do not fear what may come our way." Ranger said.

"Nor should you. The Supreme has great plans for you and your team, plans that I believe have been commenced already, but as we all know, any plan, even his, can be derailed. All I ask is that you consider what they may be, nothing more." Abbot said, then Ranger sighed and looked away, then back to the Abbot.

"I'll do my best Father." Ranger said.

"Good, no go, and may the Supreme lead you to bounty." Abbot said, then Ranger left and joined his team outside, and called his horse to him with a whistle.

"May I ask what Father Superior wanted?" Priestess asked as the team got into the cart.

"He just wanted to wish us luck. He also knows what our, or at least _my_ recent troubles, and he asked me to not let them get me me too badly." Ranger said as took the reigns of the horse.

"Well, you have us here to help you." Priestess said cheerily.

"That is very true." Ranger said as they went back down the road, then he removed the sandwich in his saddlebag, and starting eating it; it was the one his mother made so of course he was keeping it, but he silently promised to treat the rest later to make up for it.

* * *

"You're back already? It's not even noon yet." Guild Girl asked as the team came back.

"It may have been brief but...You weren't kidding when you said anything could happen." Ranger said as they approached the desk.

"Why? What happened?" Guild Girl asked.

"What _didn't_ happen? We met some monks, who happened to be led by a former Gold Ranked adventurer by the way, and we saw him fight off dozens of demons all by himself, restore the monastery with 1 miracle, and he gave us some more gear!" Warrior exclaimed.

"Wait! Slow down! Who's a Gold Ranked adventurer, what monastery are you talking about, and what gear were you given?" Guild Girl asked clearly overwhelmed.

"The place we looked into was a ruined monastery, when we got there, we looked around to see what happened to it, but found nothing. Then, some monks showed up up, looking to find a new home after demons invaded their last home, and it turned out they had a way to restore the monastery to it's former glory, which their abbot did by using the power of the Supreme God himself...somehow." Ranger said.

"But before that, he had to fight off a force of demons, not once, but twice. And...the way he fought was inhuman; he must've been at least 60 years old but he moved faster and hit harder than anyone I've ever met." Fighter said.

"And that's the _real_ kicker. This guy was an _old man,_ and he was _whooping ass_ left and right! No wonder he used to be Gold Ranked- _well_..." Warrior trailed off.

"And after he restored the monastery, which was ruined because of weathering by the way. He gave her a necklace that boosts her body's power in response to her willpower, gave _her_ a vial of holy water, and gave me this book of spells that I _really_ wished I knew beforehand." Wizard said as Guild Girl looked at them with saucer eyes.

"Well...tt's not often I envy the adventurers that show up after a quest, but this is one of those times." She then reached down and grabbed a bag of coin "Here's your reward: 30 gold coins."

"Thank you very much." Ranger said as he received their payment.

"What next boss?" Fighter asked.

"First, we see what new equipment we can get our hands our hands on, freshen up, then come back here." Ranger said before turning to Guild Girl. "Wait, is Goblin Slayer around?"

"He should be back any time now, if he shows up, I'll let him know you're looking for him." Guild Girl said.

"Does he have a schedule?" Ranger asked.

"He normally leaves for a quest at dusk or dawn, so like I said, he should be back soon." Guild Girl said.

"Wait, I thought you said there weren't any goblin slaying quests last time we were here?" Wizard asked.

"There weren't, but he got one between now and then." Guild Girl said.

"Lovely." Wizard said sarcastically.

"May I ask why you want to talk him so badly?" Guild Girl asked.

"We want to join his crusade." Ranger said.

"Uh, not that I don't support you. I should let you know that Goblin Slayer isn't well-received by alot of his fellow adventurers; you might be subjected to the same treatment." Guild Girl said.

"Then they will just show your ignorance. We will be back before long." Ranger said and they turned to leave, and after they did, they retrieved some of their coin, and Priestess got herself some chainmail under her dress, which Goblin Slayer himself suggested earlier, Warrior got some armor on his arms and legs to match the breastplate, Fighter got some steel reinforced into her boots, and Ranger and Wizard went home and looked through the jewelry they kept to see which ones to sell, and which could be kept, but Wizard suggested they hold off on selling them to see which ones were best to enchant, if she wasn't studying her new spellbook, which of course was a no-brainer. But even with all of them enchanted, Ranger doubted they'd be able to even keep up with the Abbot, let alone surpass him; if being Gold Ranked meant being a force of nature, even to a small army of demons, what did that make _Platinum_ Rank?

* * *

When the team regrouped at home about an hour later, then went back to the tavern, it was still nearly empty but at the front desk, there stood Goblin Slayer, who turned to face them Guild Girl's signal.

"Where were you? We've been looking for you." Priestess asked.

"Killing goblins. Why were you looking for me?" GS asked.

"Because we went to join you. We've been training, and equipping ourselves better for at least the past 36 hours for that very reason." Ranger said.

"I see. Do you think you can?" GS asked.

"We did before, we can do so again." Fighter said with determination.

"Alright. You're equipment looks adequate, let's go." " GS said then walked past them to the door.

"Wait, now?" Priestess asked.

"Yes, now." GS said after turning to the team.

"Well, those goblins aren't going to slay themselves." Warrior said before they walked out with the Silver Ranked hero.

* * *

**Hoo boy, I'll bet the Team didn't expect a trip like _that_, did they? Anyways, I don't know about you, but if I found out that I led a team of badasses, only to find out that an old man can cream the shit out of a swarm of demons all by himself, I'd feel pretty lame. I mean, you get on a high horse, you can fall even further right? Granted the Team wasn't very big-headed at this point, but still, talk about a bar-raiser, and in case you're wondering, yes, that was done on purpose because like Ranger implied, just being _Gold_ Ranked is nothing to laugh at; Platinum must seem earth-shattering. Also notice that the sweetness between Ranger and Fighter isn't as high this time? Not _every_ single moment between them is personal; you _can_ be close to someone, and still be professional, which most likely is critical for adventuring, not to mention that there was _plenty_ of sweetness in the last part. Anyway, since it's implied that Goblin Slayer suggested Priestess get chainmail off-screen, and did the next goblin slaying quest off-screen, both apply here as well; I'm not showing either case here either, so the 1st chapter is _finally_ over, next up is chapter 2 and who knows what else, so again, rate, review, share, and stay tuned.**


	4. Chapter 2 Part I

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team. I'm pretty sure you've been thirsty for more goblin blood since the last 2 parts had absolutely none, but fear not, for there will be _plenty_ of goblin bloodshed in this one. Afterall, it's chapter 2, which resolves around episode 2. Do the math. Now, just like the 1st chapter, this one will have multiple parts, and no I don't know if that'll be happening for each and every chapter, although considering I'm amazing myself with how much I'm coming up with, even considering that I have _nothing_ going on, fingers crossed, that's entirely possible. Now, like I mentioned in the start of chapter 1, part 1, this is NOT MY SERIES and fully intend to stay faithful as possible, even though keeping track of some of the more subtle elements, like the time frame between some of the major events, and what event happens in-between episodes is a Jupiter-sized bitch, but in this case, I'm introducing a 3rd major OC (Ranger is the 1st, his parents are 2 minor OCs, the Abbot is the 2nd major one, and the 3rd will be revealed later on) and this one in particular needs to be noted as a lure-changer; he will discuss something in the lure, which I SERIOUSLY doubt is established at ALL in the main series, and his role is something I'm CERTAIN is never established in the main series since I actually binge-watched all 12 episodes one after the other before. so this part will admittedly be me playing with the lure itself, but please remember to take it with a grain of salt, or more.**

* * *

True to her word, Guild Girl was holding a promotion exam about a week after the Team's absolutely insane investigation mission, and between then and now, the team took 2 goblin slaying quests, with Goblin Slayer, both of which went soother than any of them could've hoped for. Although despite having superior weapons, tactics, and variety of abilities, the goblins were _still_ a pain to deal with.

On the second one, a goblin managed to jump on Ranger himself, and stab his left shoulder before Goblin Slayer grabbed it, threw it into a nearby wall, and Fighter finished it off by snapping it's neck. Priestess then used a healing spell on him after Goblin Slayer gave him an antidote; turns out the goblin used poisons on their weapons, as if they couldn't fight any dirtier. Wizard made a note to brew antidotes for future use, and Ranger considered throwing poisons of his own into the mix, possibly in gas form, but the team was completely against it since it would endanger non-goblins as well, which he admitted was a good point, and using poisons on his weapons like goblins did was too dishonorable, at least unless it was an emergency, like if a hob was present and it had too much help.

The healing spell Priestess used was so effective that Ranger's shoulder wasn't only fully functional, but wasn't even scarred, although that was probably due to the vial of blessed water she used on her staff before the battle. Unfortunately, they didn't find any captive girls in either mission, whether that meant there weren't any there, or they were dead long before they showed up, no one knew, and no one questioned it, same goes for any goblin children; Ranger thought about how he yearned to see Goblin Slayer kill the first batch he saw, but looking back on it, he knew his rage against them was blind; just because they were going to grow up to be the same abominations as their fathers, doesn't mean they were as guilty in the present, that didn't mean he was against finishing them before they had a chance to do what goblins are destined to do, but still; he just thought it was fair to kill them quickly, like Goblin Slayer _had_. Ranger even kept count of how many goblins they killed; he recalled Goblin Slayer doing that in the cave. He didn't know why he did so, but it was still interesting; between the 2 goblin slaying quests, they killed 71 goblins including the shamans and hobs, both which still daunted him especially when they fought 2 at once but their new skills and strength were enough to win the day, even if they hadn't faced the 2 in the 1st quest at the same time.

In addition to eliminating the goblins, the Team approached new ways of pursing their goal, which included adding a new refurbishments to their apartment's rooms. Wizard installed a small but effective brewing lab in her room, Warrior had a rack for his armor and weapons, Priestess had a shrine to pray at, Ranger had his own rack as well, and Fighter had a training dummy which could be moved relatively easily, and even volunteered to have the disassembled parts of Ranger's cart put in her room, which was fairly logical since her room was the easiest to get to from the entrance and back; they even tested it by going from the entrance to each room, and back. Granted it took multiple trips and they had to be careful so they didn't bump into anything, but that's what teamwork was for, as if they needed a lesson in that.

Speaking of teamwork, when they weren't killing goblins, sorting out their stuff, or keeping themselves in shape, they were advancing their existing techniques, either by dueling each other, or in Wizard's case, trying new spells, like charging up a fireball to make it explode when it hits something, which of course had to be used with extreme caution; they didn't want to burn any buildings down, or worse, put someone in the hospital, granted Priestess was there to heal anyone, but the best way to solve a problem, is to prevent it altogether. Wizard also tried repairing any damaged equipment, which was fairly challenging but everyone saw how useful that was, and promised to not take advantage of it; like Wizard herself said, she can't fix a hundred things at once, even though she still had magic-restoring potions available, but they were for emergencies, and they needed every edge they could get; just because they were successful so far, didn't give them a right to be cocky; Ranger's close call with the goblin was enough of a sign; if that goblin hit a few inches closer to his heart, the team would be leaderless, and Fighter was happy that _she_ was the one who killed the goblin who nearly killed their boss.

Ranger even offered to teach Warrior how to use ranged weapons, and they started by having Warrior use Ranger's crossbow, in case Ranger dropped it and Warrior could get to it sooner, and it was _much_ easier to train; Ranger used one as a child for crying out loud, and hit all but one target, and that's just from being overconfident and failing to aim. Ranger also knew how to use a bow which they also trained with, but Ranger didn't have a bow himself, and preferred using a crossbow anyway, so they rented one and gave it a trial run which Warrior noticed _was_ easier than a bow, and less taxing on the arm since a crossbow just required you to point and pull the trigger, whereas a bow required you to actually pull a string back. Fighter even tried the bow, just for the heck of it; even if he didn't have feelings for her, he thought the bow fit her like a glove, which was too early to tell, but it was still pleasant. Both were decent with a bow, but it was _really_ apparently that they needed practice, but that could wait,

* * *

Now, the day was here for their promotions, and Ranger went into the main office for his exam, with the team surrounding him by standing by the couch he was sitting on for their own exams, and to vouch for him, and vice versa of course. Guild Girl was sitting across from Ranger behind a big desk, with her partner who, as it turned out, was a priestess of the Supreme God, and her role was to root out falsehoods, usually by being a human lie detector, which made the exams go about as smoothly as they could, as long as the examined adventurer cooperated.

"So...you've not only lead this team against a nest of goblins on your first day, but have lead them since then?" Guild Girl asked as she looked over some papers.

"I have indeed. As they can all attest to." " Ranger said and his whole team nodded.

"If it wasn't for him, we would probably all be dead, or at least no where near as good at adventuring." Fighter said with pride.

"And that's not even counting how much closer we grew together ourselves, and it's all because of him." Warrior said.

"They're all telling the truth." Guild Girl's Inspector friend said.

"Demonstrating quality leadership in a five-person team. That is an automatic promotion to Obsidian Rank." " Guild Girl said brightly before she took out a black tag, and handed it to Ranger who took it with the Team applauding. "But we're not done yet, with any of you."

"I don't understand. I thought my promotion was done." Ranger said.

"It is possible to be promoted more than once at a time. That is, _if_ you prove that you deserve it." Guild Girl said.

"O.k. let's continue then." Ranger said as he sat back down.

"Now you said that you received new gear, and more funds while you were away?" Guild Girl asked.

"Yes, both from my father, and on our investigation quest. Although, the investigation funds were from the reward itself, not the quest; that's where the gear comes in." Ranger said.

"Did it help?" Guild Girl asked.

"Oh yes. Priestess actually saved my life when a goblin stabbed me near my heart." Ranger said strongly and both of the girls in front of him gasped "I consider myself lucky beyond words."

"As do I." Inspector said implying that he's telling the truth.

"As for the others? Well, Fighter and Warrior each got new weapons and armor, obviously, and Wizard's new spells aided our training quite a bit, especially her repair spell; it saved us _quite_ a bit of money and time, and don't get me started on how me, Fighter, and Warrior fought the goblins as if we were a single person." Ranger said.

"That is also true." Inspector said in awe.

"In that case." Guild Girl said reaching down to get more Obsidian Ranks, one for each of the four. "Congratulations." "They each stepped forward to get their new ranks, and Ranger clapped for them which made everyone in the room roar with laughter for a good seven seconds at least; they _clearly_ didn't see that kind of irony coming. "Oh, that just made my day...now, where were we?"

"You mentioned that Ranger wasn't done with _his_ exam, but failed to go through with it." Inspector teased which earned her a deadpan look from Guild Girl.

"Smart aleck." Guild Girl said which Inspector smiled at. "Anyway, you not only lead this team, but both trained him to obtain their new skills, and indirectly caused them to get new means to get stronger on their own?"

"Yes I have." Ranger said to which the Inspector nodded.

"That clinches it." Guild Girl reached down and grabbed a _Steel_ Rank tag and handed it to him. "Not only do you get Steel Rank, but you are _this_ close, to making Sapphire." Everyone clapped _again_ for Ranger, and stopped the _moment_ he looked at them funny and put on his Steel Rank tag. "As for the rest of you, you're also not far behind when it comes to becoming Steel Ranks yourself."

"Ah, as long we keep playing the world's most dangerous game of follow-the-leader-" Wizard said which earned a minor laugh from some people. "Anyway, as long as we do that, we'll be set."

"That's right." Guild Girl said before standing. "Well, that's the end of the exam, enjoy your new place in the Guild." With that, the Team left and greeted some other adventurers who were going to take _their_ exams, before sitting down without checking the quest board; this was a time for celebration, and they started by buying some food and drink, then sitting down at a small table with Ranger at the end, the place of honor

"To Ranger. Our great and honorable leader." Warrior said dramatically while raising a cup.

"Here! Here!" The girls called out all at once before all five drank at once.

"And to the four of you as well, for what is a leader without people to lead?"" Ranger said.

"Oh, come on. You would've found other people to lead." Wizard said.

"No, I wouldn't." Ranger said seriously which earned him some looks "None that could replace _any_ of you. Wizard, You might very well be one of the most passionate practitioners of mystic arts in town; why else would you keep that spellbook and study it with so much vigor? Priestess..." He then motioned to his heart. "I'm still breathing because of you. That doesn't just demand credit; you deserve a statue made in your honor." The team huffed at the drama, but then Ranger looked at Warrior "Warrior, your passion rivals Wizard's when it comes to fighting our foes, and looking for ways to do so. Yes you could've said no to it, but you _didn't_, and I don't recall seeing any regret in your face over it." He then looked at Fighter with a subtle amount of brightness "And you Fighter...you saved me from the demon known as despair and made me an even stronger man than I was before; if it wasn't for you, we would probably _still_ be at my home."

"Well, as a wise man said: Take _that_ you demon asshole!" Fighter said, and the entire team started laughing, especially Ranger who was flattered that she used _their_ joke at such a perfect time.

"Now, let's feast before our food gets too cold." Ranger said after he got a grip.

"Yes sir!" The team said before chowing down, when they were done, they went their separate ways: Wizard went home to check her brewing supplies, and study he spellbook again, Priestess went to pray at her shrine, Warrior went to arrange their supplies, and Fighter went to the training grounds with Ranger to try the bow again, and after they each took turns shooting the rented bow until they ran out of arrows, they inspected the bow which was still in good shape despite how much it was used. Ranger also noticed that Fighter landed two more shots than him; it wasn't a contest, but it was still impressive since he used a bow before and she didn't, and he wasn't even going easy on her, nor was he willing to make excuses like "she got lucky"; he had too much respect for her to start that kind of Silver Rank bullshit.

"I tried to keep my mouth shut about it, but I can't anymore. The bow fits you like a glove." Ranger said right to Fighter's face, she couldn't help but smile at the compliment.

"I never even considered it before, but I'm glad you did boss." She said..

"I'm even tempted to give you a long knife, or two, to fit the image." Ranger said.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Fighter said putting her hands up, before hugging him when the mood suddenly hits her. "Thank the Supreme and all who serve him that Priestess saved you. I don't think I've ever been more scared."

"But I'm still here. I'm still here to lead the team. I'm still here for _you_." Ranger said hugging her back, and a few seconds later, she pulled back while bushing his cheek with her own then smirked at him.

"You need to shave." Fighter teased which he smiled at. "And while you do that, I'm going to return this bow."

"I thought _I_ was _your_ leader?" He asked with no seriousness in his voice making her turn to him.

"Consider your leadership temporarily overruled." Fighter said smugly then kept going, leaving her "great and honorable leader" hanging in the wind while she returned the bow to a weapon shop.

* * *

"Wow, check it out." A man whispered to another man as Fighter walked in.

"Damn, I'll bet she's got some _good_ stuff in an outfit that baggy." His friend said.

"Wouldn't mind unpacking that bag either." The first man said.

"Not a safe idea." Fighter snapped at the two men with a glare which made them head right towards her with no fear in their faces.

"Oh, we don't think so baby. If you'd like we could show you a _real_ good time-" Fighter cut the second man off by punching both of them in the diaphragm then shoving them both aside.

"I came here to return a bow, not play games with a pair of hogs, and don't even think about coming after me later, because I'm part of a five-person team, and we've encountered a horde of demons and lived to tell about it. A _horde_ of _demons_, and none of us lost our minds. Until either of you can do that, keep your distance." Fighter said sharply before she left and returned home.

* * *

"I'm back!" Fighter then acknowledged her first three teammates before heading to find her fourth one...who was shirtless, in front of a mirror shaving his small beard like she said; she was just playing with him, but she did _not_ regret saying what she did; she figured he was pretty lean given how quickly he moved and how much power he put into his attacks, but there he was, his physique on total display from the waist up, and his semi-long, brown hair flowing down, it all made her heart and lungs race, she even saw his left shoulder and the lack of a scar; Priestess did one hell of a job. After a good five seconds, Ranger finished shaving then Fighter collected her nerve and spoke up. "I wasn't seriously asking you to shave you know."

"It was still a good idea nonetheless. And I knew you were there, minus that bow."" Ranger said.

"Ugh, don't remind me. A pair of jokers hit on me in the weapon shop." Fighter said with minor disgust.

"So you like giving attention but not getting it." Ranger said smugly which made Fighter walk up to him.

"Only with you boss, only with you..." She said caressing his newly shaved face with both hands. The two stood there as if in a trance, then reflexively drew closer until their parted lips pressed together with virtually no force, then Ranger took it up a notch by wrapping his arms around her and holding her against him, neither one moving except for repositioning their lips once or twice, neither one wanting to let go; it was like the pond all over again; it was just the two of them, in that time and place, kissing each other with no piece of the puzzle corrupted or out-of-line, and even after the kiss ended with Fighter pulling away, the feeling lingered, and was still strong enough to keep either from speaking until they finally opened their eyes and saw both the softness and the seriousness in each other's faces; they knew that this was a milestone for them; their feelings for each other were mind-numbingly obvious, even to their teammates, but that kiss told them both _everything_ they needed to know: they were adventuring in more ways than one. "Boss..." Ranger then caressed her cheek.

"I know, Fighter..." He whispered before looking at her hair. "I've actually been wondering how you'd look with your hair down. May I see?" Fighter then smiled, reached to undo her ponytail and let her hair flow downward which made Ranger suck in a breath and nearly tear up. "Whenever I think you can't get any lovelier, I'm proven wrong." He then ran his hands though her hair with reverence.

Meanwhile, Priestess who saw them kiss, went down to the others who were going through their equipment.

"Guys." She said which made the two look at her "Fighter and the boss..."

"Let me guess: they were locking lips?" Wizard asked.

"How- how did you know?" Priestess asked surprised.

"Give me a break. Those two were digging each other since day one; we saw this coming a mile away." Wizard said dryly.

"Should...should we fetch them and ask about our next quest?" Priestess asked,

"No way. Give those two lovebirds their space." Warrior said, and about a minute later; 30 seconds after Ranger started futzing with Fighter's silky, black hair, he helped her re-tie it, kissed her on the head, then led them back down "What's next boss?"

"We go back out and put some more goblin assholes in their graves." Ranger said with vigor as he led the team back to the tavern, and looked over the board for goblin slaying quests, and as luck would have it, Guild Girl had one for them. It was concerning that Goblin Slayer wasn't there, but the quest was urgent, and the team was _much_ stronger and better-connected than before, so they resolved to do it without him. The quest itself involved dealing with some goblins who took over a large, abandoned cabin that was _uncomfortably_ close to a nearby logging town, and by horse/cart, it would take the team just under an hour to get there, so Ranger went to the town stable to get his horse, as the team assembled the cart, they coupled the horse to the cart and got going.

* * *

"You four might want to rest up as much as you can, or maybe take a stamina potion."" Ranger said to his team behind him knowing how hard, and how much they've been working.

"We'll be fine boss. Just make sure we don't hit any hob-sized roadblocks." Fighter said.

"Not a snowflake's chance in a furnace." Ranger said as they kept riding down the road for a good 40 minutes, while of course, stopping to give the horse some rest/letting it have some water at a stream on the way, while the team keeps an eye out for trouble, but when the horse was done, they re-coupled it to the cart, and kept going, and before long, they reached the woodlands that the quest is supposed to happen in, but they stopped the cart and went the rest of the way on-foot. Ranger then drew his crossbow. "Keep an eye out. These woods are a good place for an ambush, and they most likely know we're coming thanks to scouts." The team then ventured slowly, and steadily through the woods until they spotted the cabin, but there was a problem...

"Shouldn't there be at least one goblin keeping watch?" Fighter asked.

"Yes..." Ranger said thoughtfully before moving forward and stepping on something that felt like flesh, and it was a dead goblin which made him jump back alittle, then he knelt down to examine it; he was glad he wore leather gauntlets; he didn't know if goblins bathed or not, but it didn't matter; they could take 100 bathes a day and he'd _still_ feel disgusting touching them skin-on-skin. "It's definitely dead, but how?" He squeezed the head in different places,then pressed his palm into it's chest, then he ran his finger along it's spine, then he put it down. "No head trauma...the ribs are fine...and its neck wasn't broken. It's as if it just...stopped living."

"O.k...this is getting spooky." Warrior said before the team heard some commotion in the distance that sounded like goblins, but then it was some choking sounds, a thump, and then quiet which of course made everyone nervous, then they carefully looked into the source of the noise, which lead them to find more dead-but-not-injured goblins

"Spooky is right. From the looks of things, there's something worse than goblins in this place." Ranger said seriously, then they heard the front door open, and all hell breaks loose; there were sounds of goblins snarling and yelling, then more choking, then stabbing and slicing sounds, then a goblin flies out the window, again with no blood or injuries on it's body, and as the chaos dies down, there's a faint whistling sound then the only sound left was that of a panicking goblin and footsteps.

The team tried not to look inside, but when they did, they saw a man in a black leather coat walking toward the terrified goblin, then the goblin yelled, pulled a knife, and pounced, only to be grabbed in mid-air, then the goblin stabs the man several times in the arm trying to free itself but not only do the wounds heal, but the sleeve repairs itself as well, and most disturbingly...the man _doesn't care_; you'd think that he'd at least wince from being stabbed in the arm several times but not even that. Then the man grabs the goblin's face, then with the same faint whistling sound from before...some kind of weird lavender-colored magic comes out of the goblin's body as the man removes his hand, then the goblin goes limp, then the man leaves their view.

"What do we do now? We can't go in there with that...that...walking weapon!" Wizard whispered harshly.

"But he hates goblins; maybe he can help us." Fighter said.

"Or he killed them just for the fun of it and sees even his fellow man is fair game." Warrior said...then the team cringed when the man inside spoke.

"Come inside. I am no enemy to the living." He said casually.

"We- We were sent to get rid of the goblins you killed." Ranger said.

"You five have the only souls in this entire area." The man inside said/

"What about your _own_ soul?" Wizard asked cautiously.

"It's in safe hands. Please, do come inside, we can speak properly." The man said.

"Well...he at least sounds polite." Priestess said as they slowly went for the front door eyeing all the dead goblins then they see the man on his knees, facing away from the team, in front of some butchered people which had to have been the work of the goblins; the man had no cutting tools or _any_ weapon on his person.

"Nice of you to join me. Sorry about the mess, but I hope you'll live." The man said, the casual tone of his voice unnerving the team.

"May I ask... how you killed these goblins?" Ranger asked.

"The same way I do my job: I removed their souls." The man said which made Wizard groan.

"You...you removed their souls?" Wizard asked nervously.

"Yes...and from the tone of your voice, you know something, yes?" The man asked.

"I...what...just who are you?" Wizard asked.

"I am a servant of the one who provides the greatest service. Otherwise known, as the Death God." The man said.

"So you're a Revenant!?" Wizard exclaimed.

"I am indeed." Revenant said.

"What's a Revenant?" Warrior asked cautiously.

"We are the ones who help the Death God carry souls to the afterlife. We summon him when we've collected a large enough amount, and in return, he grants us his power." Revenant said.

"We?" Ranger asked and Revenant said finally turned to them.

"Oh yes. There were plenty of Revenants throughout history, and there still are throughout the world." He said, then turned back to the wall.

"You said your soul is "in safe hands". What do you mean?"" Fighter asked.

"The only way to kill a Revenant is to find the item it's soul is contained in, and destroy it. But in my case...the Death God himself has it, and he's not going to hand it over for a song and dance." Revenant said dryly, normally that would be funny to the team, but the Revenant's I-don't-care attitude made it hard to see anything as funny.

"Does _anything_ bother you?" Priestess asked.

"Not seriously, no. But unlike in life, everything in death is free; I cannot feel pain, or any sensation for that matter. I can't smell, and I can't taste, but I also cannot die; you can only die once. I have nothing to fear, nothing to lose, I can kill anything, or anyone who opposes me with almost no problem, and though I cannot smell or taste, I don't need to consume anything, or sleep for that matter." Revenant said.

"That...sounds both inviting and daunting at the same time." Warrior said.

"It should be neither." Revenant said seriously.

"May I ask why you became a Revenant?" Ranger asked only for Revenant to turn to them finally.

"To see the world's shackles removed! The "Demon Lord" has he dares to call himself has been making a mockery of the Supreme God's creation, as well as embarrass himself and make others pay for it, since before this world was formed." Revenant said with some actual passion in his voice, and the Team stood there completely dumbfounded. "The Death God is part of the Supreme God's design, just as the rest of the other gods who follow him, which makes it _sourly_ ironic that undead like myself are needed to speed up the process of an afterlife following life; the Death God _can_ reap souls and take them to the Supreme God, but it is us Revenants that keep it from taking too long. I was made a dealer, of the unquestionably greatest service that a person could possibly receive, and I'm doing so at the cost of an actual life. There is a special place in Heaven for us, I assure you all, and that is precisely why only the dead concern me, while the living do not."

"Then why did you kill these goblins?" Ranger asked seriously, then Revenant pointed to the butchered carcasses.

"Because they were in my way when I came to harvest _their_ soul tends to stay attached to the body until the tie is severed. To deny that duty is to find out, in the most intimate way, that death must follow life. Although I cannot truly fault them for trying to halt my efforts; look at _their_ place in the world, and what they do. It makes me almost happy to not be among the living. Humanity has a greater place in the world then even they themselves know, yet they're being hunted by a swarm of rats who believe themselves to be lions." He said.

"Wow...even the dead can't stand goblins. Wait, didn't you say we were the only five souls around here? How do you know that?"" Wizard asked...and Revenant just stared at them for a few seconds, then turned around.

"I can tell where souls are thanks to the Death God. Now, if you will please leave. I must contact him, and I doubt you'd want to see the face of the one who will someday herald your deaths." He said seriously.

"Yes...farewell." Ranger said as the team rushed to their horse and cart, then went back to the tavern to report..

* * *

"They were all dead when we got there." Ranger said to Guild Girl.

"What? How?" She asked in surprise.

"A revenant killed them." Ranger said grimly.

"A what?" Guild Girl asked.

"Someone who gave their soul to the Death God to become an unfeeling, unkillable, harvester of souls. He claims that his harvesting is the greatest imaginable service, and from the looks of things, he firmly believes that's true." Wizard said, and Guild Girl stood there breathing harder.

"That...has got to be one of the eeriest things I've ever heard. But, for probably the first time...I don't know if I should call this a successful quest, or a failed one." She said.

"Let me guess. That's because the quest said kill the goblins, which was done, but it wasn't done by us, right?" Fighter asked.

"Exactly. Oh what the heck." Guild Girl said as she pulled a bag of copper and gold coins and handed it over. "You still encountered something unusual and returned with new info, so that's a success as far as I'm concerned."

"Easy to reason with, listen to, and look at. Whomever catches your eye will be a lucky man." Ranger said which made Guild Girl blush.

"Where did _that_ come from?" She asked surprised.

"I am in a much better mood than normal." Ranger said honestly which made Guild Girl giggle.

"It shows. Good night team." She said as they headed home.

"So...where _did_ that compliment come from?" Priestess asked.

"I said that I am in a better mood than normal." Ranger said.

"I meant _why_?" Priestess asked which made Wizard scoff.

"Need you ask?" She said like it was braindead obvious, then Fighter turned to her curiously, then she looked forward and her mood soured.

"Oh no." She said seeing the two men who harassed her in the weapon shop, but there were four more guys with them.

"What?" Warrior asked.

"Two of those guys hit on me when I returned the bow we practiced with." Fighter said.

"And?" Warrior asked,

"I...kind of floored them." Fighter said hesitantly.

"Great...and now they want revenge?" Warrior asked.

"They're going to leave empty-handed then." Ranger said as the gang approached.

"So, you _are_ part of a five-person team. Well we're part of a _six_-person team!" One of the two men said.

"Which matters _how_ exactly?" Wizard asked with exasperation, before Ranger stepped forward.

"While I don't doubt she could face you all down single-handedly, she is a member of _my_ team, and I do not appreciate my teammates being harassed." Ranger said sternly.

"Oh, look at you. What is she your little playmate?" One of the other men asked.

"Careful. None of you are in a good light as it is." Ranger said with a lower tone of voice.

"So you _are_ screwing her aren't you?" The same man said which made the others chuckle before reaching out to poke him. "Or is she screwing _you_?" The moment the man's finger touches Ranger, he grabs his finger pops it out of it's socket then pulls his swords with enough speed to make the gang move back in surprise.

"Leave. Now!" Ranger snapped, and the gang ran away after seeing the others brace for a fight, which included Wizard charging a fire spell, but then the team settles down and keeps going home, and when they get there, everyone says "good night" goes to their respective rooms, including Ranger and Fighter but not before saying their own good nights "Sweet dreams." Ranger said as he gave Fighter a brief, but deep kiss.

"Sweet dreams...boss." She said with a wink before they went to their rooms to call it a night.

* * *

**And I thought the _previous_ chapter was intense. The team learns new ways to train, Ranger has a brush with death, they slaughter dozens of goblins, they get new ranks, Fighter clobbers some douchebags, she has her 1st kiss with Ranger, he sees her with her hair down, they meet a glorified dead guy who manages to scare the pants off of them, Ranger shows why he's the boss, then the week finally ends...and what an insane week it was. Also, I unironically imagined Fighter using a bow, and...it' is kinda hot, although, it's not as hot as her showing her "alpha lady" status towards a pair of jokers as she called them. Ranger, you are one lucky bastard, and I'm not just saying that because I wrote him; I can look at my work for what it is, if I couldn't, I wouldn't deserve my fanbase. Speaking of my fanbase, I hope it'll continue to Rate, Review, and Share, and await the next part of chapter 2's carnage. Stay tuned.**


	5. Chapter 2 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team. This part will focus more on Goblin Slayer, since it's actually based on Episode 2, with the Team thrown in of course, along with some brand,-spanking-new abilities. Now, I've seen the feedback you people gave me, and I'm quite excited to have a fanbase, and it's seriously ironic that the complaints I'm reading are about things that I plan to resolve anyways, like Goblin Slayer's absence, well rest assured that his screentime with pick up in the future; he'll be practically omnipresent in the 2nd half for sure. But even if that _wasn't_ the case, I would listen to people's feedback any day of the week, especially if they have an idea I haven't thought about, unless they're being negative for the sake of it, but even then I can root out the bullshit to get to the diamonds. I'm not sure why no one is mentioning the comedic moments or the chemistry between Ranger and Fighter, but I'm not disappointed, I just don't get it. Also...I haven't seen it be established how Priestess got the miracle of Protection in the show, so...if anyone knows, please tell me, but in this fanfic, she got it when the Earth Mother gives her one by showing her faith enough times at her room's shrine. Now, as a wise man said: Enough talk! _Fight_!  
**

* * *

For the next two weeks, the madness never ceased. When the team wasn't out slaying goblins, this time with the Goblin Slayer with them all but one time, for a total of six missions and at least 179 goblins, hobs, and shamans put in their graves, they were training, both on their own time, and together, and sustaining themselves. As for their training itself, Priestess obtained a new miracle: Protection, which was a solid wall of light that enabled the people inside it to pass through, but those outside to be stuck behind it, and when the team discovered they could even _shoot_ through the inside, they saw their almost unfair advantage right away, especially since Wizard could launched fireballs through it, although that did take some strength out of the wall.

Priestess even learned to tone down, or enhance the brightness of her holy light miracle, so her staff made torches nearly unnecessary; obviously they had to keep at least two on standby in case Priestess ran out of miracles. As for the rest of the team, Ranger sparred with Warrior _alot_ when they could, and even had to take a stamina potion or two to keep their wits sharp enough to keep from hurting each other, and their bodies nimble enough to keep themselves in peak fighting shape. Their duels themselves started off pretty tame in the earliest days of their team being formed, but as the two adventurers got better and closer, their fights became complete slugfests!

Warrior's technique was almost alien compared to how unversed it was at first; he was faster, more focused, and thanks to the strength training, and the missions they did themselves, he was able to put more power into his strikes, and his prowess with the shield matched; despite the fact that Ranger had two swords and therefore, could strike twice as often, not to mention that he _grew_ _up_ learning tricks like this, Warrior was still able to keep himself from getting hit with his shield, which they replaced with a shield of dwarven design that folds out when needed, and folds out when not; it was about 50% wider than Goblin Slayer's when folded out, but even with it, Warrior's adrenaline went crazy when he fought his leader.

Ranger wasn't just the leader because of his tactical prowess, the number of damns he gives about the team, and the people for that matter, but also because he was the deadliest person in the group without question; there's a reason he had more kills than anyone else in the group; even if he didn't have a crossbow, he could probably roll over a small swarm of goblins,by himself, with nothing but his twin swords, which were enchanted, which meant they, along with his crossbow, were able to repair and maintain themselves, which saved even _more_ time and money, and, by extension, Wizard some spells.

Wizard's training wasn't too strange, other than trying to blow up a dummy with her charged fireball spell with Priestess using Protection to make it more difficult, but her enchanting? Boy was she busy with enchanting! Warrior, and Ranger's armors were enchanted to decrease the weight, increase the flexibility, and of course, self-maintain; they debated which enchantments would be used but settled on those since they were the most versatile. Wizard also enchanted Fighter's gloves to increase the hardness of the steel knuckles, which was a pain to do with precision, and her new and smaller boots with a speed enchantment; Fighter argued that she didn't want to outrun the team too badly, but Ranger noted that his horse was faster than any of them, and in the field, if he chased a goblin or something along those lines, she'd be useful as a second person to chase; instead of chasing the horse and maybe lose sight of it, she could chase his horse, and the team could chase her, which cut the chance of them getting separated in such a chase, in half, which closed that case for good, even her robe was enchanted for a heat negation spell to keep her from getting too hot in a fight, fortunately that wasn't an issue beforehand, but the weather was getting to be a bit much recently, and who knows what might happen to increase the heat some other way, and Fighter got use out of that enchantment right away; she trained her ass off for almost an hour after getting the enchantment, both alone, and with others, and wasn't even sweating afterwards, despite there being no cool breeze or anything.

Priestess didn't have much equipment for an enchantment to be put on, so Wizard slapped on a durability boost for her dress in case a goblin or two managed to work around the team and get to her; that didn't happen yet, but the chance was still there and needed to be covered. Amazingly, Priestess was still able to move around alright, which didn't make alot of sense, but magic is magic; if Protection could work, so could this. As for spells? Wizard learned and became adept in the Life Sight spell, which let he tell where every living things in the area was, which gave her a massive, but temporary headache when she first used it and saw the life signs of _everyone in town at once_! If she saw that kind of strain coming, she never would've used it, but at least she now knew that the spell needed to be handled with care and focus unless she wanted to risk making her own brain pop. Outside of the danger, the benefits of tracking goblins spoke for themselves; Ranger had his near-death experience with a goblin because the team didn't know it was there, now they could prevent, or at least combat further incidents in the future.

As for Fighter...she actually trained _Ranger_ for once; she actually shared some of her flexibility training, and Katas with him, and gave him a run-down of how her style worked; he always noticed she tended to be more fluid in her movements, as opposed to his straightforward and brutal, yet still refined style, but adding the fluidity of her style to his own, and his brutality to hers, not only made them more stable in their belief that they could take down the goblins, but also added an element of intimacy that neither could explain, but still loved. Maybe it was the same as putting 2 cups of water into 1 larger cup, only with movements instead of water, that would perhaps explain the intimacy, but there was no shortage of that; the whole team knew about their relationship, and even respectfully gave the 2 their space if needed; just because their love wasn't a secret, doesn't mean that public displays of affection were warranted, at least not yet.

But even with that being said, their intimacy was nothing special; it was just them holding each other, taking in the warmth of each other's bodies and bathing in the presence of each other's love, Occasionally they would kiss as deeply and sweetly as ever, and on even rarer occasions, she would let her hair down and let him bask in her glory. She would do it more often, but it would've been a shame to treat the action so cheaply, and there was nothing cheap about what they had; they even restricted the touching to hand-holding, and face-caressing; groping each other was overkill, especially on his end; just the two of them being there to bleed out the tension of their lifestyle was more than enough to see them through the day, by itself.

As for his end of their training, she still practiced using a bow like she did before, and this time, she got her own, complete with a quiver, and an enchantment; Fighter noticed that the strength-boosting necklace, combined with her training in using as much strength at once as possible had increased the speed of her draw, but on one occasion, she drew back too hard and too quickly and damaged the bow to the point where using it could make it break and possibly hurt someone, which she obviously didn't want to be responsible for, so they had Wizard repair, then enchant the bow to make it repair itself, as well as make the bow more durable by reinforcing it at a smith, before throwing on a durability _enchantment_, Wizard even joked that Fighter could probably bash goblins to death with it, which got her some laughs from the team because of how true it was. Fighter also trained with Ranger's crossbow just in case she had to use it, but stuck to the bow, not only for the verity, and because he said it fits her, but also because she prefers the challenge of using a bow, whereas a crossbow was something anyone could do; Ranger had to respect her desire to be distinguished.

* * *

After all of that training was done in-between the first five missions, the team took on a sixth one at the crack of dusk alone since Goblin Slayer was doing a seventh, and they decided to split up. GS took a nest down one road, and the team went to defend a town in the other way, and the goblins attacked the town less than a minute after the team set themselves up, with Fighter notching her bow, Wizard using Life Sight to see the goblins coming, and Priestess throwing up Protection, which the goblins all slammed into, some breaking their noses which made Warrior and Ranger laugh at them, then Fighter started shooting the goblins, slowly getting used to her ranged weapon being used for real.

"Shoot the ones on the sides first. Wizard, prepare a fireball, when I give the word, blast them. Warrior, get in there and kill the ones in the middle." Ranger said before he shot one goblin down on the side Fighter wasn't shooting at. Warrior drew his longsword, charged at the goblins and cut them down, more than one at a time with his swings. This made the goblins angrier and start hitting the wall with more vigor, but it still did almost nothing, as Ranger and Fighter kept shooting them as Warrior swung away.

"I...can't keep this up much longer!" Priestess yelled.

"Warrior! Get back here and duck!" " Ranger yelled, then Warrior retreated to the others and hit the deck before Ranger turned to Wizard "Now!"

"Fireball!" Wizard yelled before her charged fireball slammed into the middle of the goblin swarm, blew at least a dozen to pieces, and set the surrounding goblins on fire. The team then stood there watching them burn and scream their lungs out as the 7 "lucky ones" in the far back watched their comrades burn to death and then looked at the five people who devastated their roughly 60-something strong horde stand there as if daring the goblins to do something, and they did something alright: run back the way they came, which made Ranger take off after them with the team following, and when they noticed a cave, they were surprised to see the goblins run past it. Did they somehow not notice it? Now wasn't the time for wonder; they had goblin heads to bust, and those heads were being carried into a large hut which was apparently modified to be some sort of goblin command post. They stopped before getting too close, then Wizard then used Life Sight again. "They're in there, as well as a shaman..._and_ 3 captives!"

"Children?" Ranger asked.

"Doesn't look like it." Wizard said as they went up to he door, and saw the shaman prepare a lightning spell "Reflect!"a clear barrier went up in front of her, then the shaman was then hit by it's own spell, which decreased in power, but was still enough to make the shaman fall down violently twitching, then the seven goblins tried to rush them, only for Wizard's two sword-using teammates to come in and hack them down, then Fighter put her third to last arrow in the shaman's throat and watched it choke to death on it's own blood. When they were done, they looked at the three girls, and Ranger was back in that cave with the first five girls all over again, but now...what Priestess said started to sink in. "_There's been enough darkness as it is. We have to take them out of it and heal them."_ He didn't agree at first because he thought they were a lost cause, but now he was going to listen to his teammate; he even saw his depression spell as a punishment from the Supreme for a while, and by His Greatness, Ranger was not going to repeat his failure.

"Clean them up. We're taking them to the town's temple for help." Ranger said, before leaving to fetch his horse and cart, before stopping Warrior "Let the ladies do it. After whatever they went through...they probably don't want to even be around a man." And with that, the two left to get the horse and cart for real, and when they got back, the three girls where cleaned. healed by Priestess, and Wizard who wasn't as good with healing as Priestess, but she was still something. When the three captives were loaded, the team looked into the cave with Priestess using Holy Light to lead the way. Fighter and Ranger had to get their arrows and bolts replaced, but that was entirely possible later. Wizard used her last spell to use Life Sight and noticed two more captives, and no less than 11 goblins, three children, plus a hob, which made her down a magic-restore potion; they were going to need it. Ranger then clapped his hands rapidly which made Priestess snap her head to him

"Goblin Slayer said- " Ranger then cut her off.

"We know how many there are, and we're not strong enough to fight them toe-to-toe, now, when they get close, flash them, and follow us out of the cave." Ranger said, he then kept clapping and the hob appeared with five friends then Priestess increased the brightness of her Holy Light, then the team ran outside, then Fighter clapped her own hands when she was at the cave's mouth, just to piss them off, and the hob got revenge by roaring at her, which made her own ears hurt thanks to the cave's echo, and she joined her teammates in the open. When the hob and friends came outside, the team saw that the hob had _armor_ which was a possible problem, and the five smaller goblins were clearly not in a good mood, same as they're big brother.

"Firestorm!" Wizard yelled and multiple fireballs hit the hob, and three of the goblins at once, then Ranger shot the fourth one, then Warrior threw a nearby rock at the fifth one, who was staggered by the hit to the face, which Fighter took advantage of by rushing forward, slamming it's head into the hob's armor, then punched it's unarmored side as hard as possible, which broke at least two of the hob's ribs, then she climbed up it's back, broke it's neck, then to add insult to injury, she twisted it's head several times, until the head popped off, then she slammed the head on the fourth goblin who miraculously survived Ranger's bolt.

"Yeesh! You feeling alright?" Warrior asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's just...I've been holding that in for too long; treating those three girls was...tense." Fighter said as she got ahold of herself, then Ranger put his hand on her shoulder.

"Let's just mop up those goblins, retrieve the girls and get the hell out of here." Ranger said softly before they went back into the cave with Priestess leading the way with Holy Light again, and when they reached the place Wizard sensed the goblins in, Ranger stopped the party "We know you're in there! I really hope you've prayed to whatever deity you little green wretches worship, because you're going to need them." It was clear Ranger was trying to intimidate them, which was apparently working since they could hear the goblins snarling uneasily from where they were, and when the team found them, they approached, then Warrior stepped forward, and Ranger stopped the rest from intervening, but he and Fighter had their bow and crossbow at the ready in case; he wanted to see Warrior fight alone, and his six opponents clearly didn't want to be in that cave anymore.

Warrior then unfolded his shield and drew his short sword, and the massacre began; the goblins rushed him all at once, then he swept his shield and sword at them both at once, the sword bisecting one, and injuring another one, two were sent flying into the fifth, and the last got impaled when Warrior recovered his bearings, then he stomped the sixth one's brains in, then rushed the other two, impaled one in the heart, then the other, both before they got up, then he and the team followed Ranger further down the cave, until they reached a den which, lo and behold, had the two girls held in there, as well as some stored weapons and supplies.

"It looks like some sort of barracks." Ranger observed then looked the girls over, then Priestess reached for his hand "Clean them too." He and Warrior left their female teammates to treat the two captives, then Ranger saw to the children, looked at the fear in their faces, and then stabbed them all in the head one by one as fast and as brutally as possible, then he gave Warrior a torch, lit it with some spark rocks, then looked for some minerals to mine with his pickaxe, which was only somewhat worth it; Ranger hit the walls for about a minute, but found nothing other than some scraps of iron ore, and what could have been an amethyst, but that was it; they still kept their finds, but left when she noticed Priestess' light. They then followed the ladies out of the cave at a distance; Ranger was still uneasy about the entire subject, and when they got to the cart, Ranger took the reigns and tried to ignore the five mentally-broken girls behind him while the team walked off, with some of the people in the town they saved coming out to praise them for saving the town, and highlight how _awesome_ they were. Some even gave them some coin, and spare crops.

"Sir?" Priestess asked "It's quite admirable that we're saving them, but...why did you order this?"

"Because you're right." Ranger said simply which Priestess was stunned by ."You said that we needed to get them out of the darkness and heal them, and you're right." He then took a moment to breathe "That time in the first den, I didn't believe a word you said, and believed that compassion led me to do what I did, but I was wrong. _Despair_ led me, and that failure has been taxing me ever since, and I'm _sick_ of paying it! And the best way I can think of to break that cycle, is to reverse it." He looked at his team who were all awe-struck, then looked at the road again. "Yes killing off the goblins' captives ends their suffering quickly, but it also snuffs out any chance of them getting their lives back, and maybe setting an example to the rest of the world that no one is too far gone. On top of that, if all of you took on that trend; if you were to follow the one example I never want to see followed, then it would start an incredibly vicious cycle, one in which we would let the results of tragedy and anguish guide our actions, and that's not who we are; that's not the team _I_ lead. We're fighting to _rid_ the world of despair, not support it; to _combat_ the darkness, not become it's emissaries." He then sucks in a trembling breathe "Above all, I don't want to see my failure become an example to the rest of the world, and I _refuse_ to let the goblins have victories this twisted, even when they're dead." The passion in his voice made his whole team shake, especially Fighter and Priestess who probably knew more about his plight than he himself did, and they spent the rest of the way back in silence, until they took the girls to the temple one by one, got paid for their quest, and as it turned out, Goblin Slayer checked in a few minutes before they did, then they put the cart away as Ranger turned in his horse, then the team went to sleep, with Fighter hugging Ranger as the others turned in for the night.

"I'm happy for you Ranger. You led us to defeat the goblins, and ended it the correct way." Fighter whispered, then Ranger pulled her into a kiss and held onto her like she was being yanked away from him.

"Without you, I don't think I could." Ranger said as he finally pulled away from her lips, then she touched his face.

"Good thing I'm not leaving this team anytime soon." Fighter said softly yet seriously, which Ranger smiled at. "Good Night boss."

"Good night, my dear." Ranger said as they went to bed.

* * *

When they went to the tavern, the team discovered that it was practically _exploding_ with people, most of which were new adventurers, and a few veterans, if their equipment was anything to go by; one of them was a large, hulking man with a sword about as large as he was, with a light-blonde lady with armor, a sword, and shield, next to a red-headed man with blue armor and a spear with a _really_ board tip, at the front desk apparently flirting with Guild Girl, even though there was a witch with him, who had long, purple hair, a dress that exposed half of her generous chest, as well as the tops of her thick legs, and had a strangely sultry look in the face. Ranger didn't understand how a man could hit on Guild Girl when he already had such a fine partner, yes Guild Girl was adorable, but that witch was probably his _partner_; Ranger was thankful for every day Fighter was on his team.

Apparently, the four adventurers he noted were all Silver Ranked, and based on their equipment, it was easy to see why; there's _no way_ they'd have such equipment if they weren't good at what they did. There was too much going on, and not even the quests were posted, so the team got some more shopping done, which included getting Ranger some lamellar armor to replace his scale/leather armor; his original armor was good, but as the goblin who nearly killed him proved, his armor had too many gaps in it, but the lamellar? Totally different story; it not only looked more badass, as Warrior noted, but provided more protection, and by tension, had fewer gaps in it. Ranger also gave his old armor to Warrior to replace his breastplate and pads, which was only logical, and Ranger stated it looked better on him than him, and Warrior promised to treat his leader's old armor like it was a part of his body, which is what you're _supposed_ to do regardless, but it had sentiment backing it now. Ranger even gave some of his throwing knives, which he rarely used anyway, to Fighter, just for the heck of it, and she didn't promise to use them more than he did, but took some regardless.

When they returned, a chunk of the people had left to take quests, but Goblin Slayer, who was standing inside not far from the door was still there, which probably meant there weren't any goblin slaying quests, and when they saw him, they discussed one of their quests involved him using fire inside a cave, but Goblin Slayer insisted that goblins were the biggest problem, period, which Priestess reacted to by mentioning consequences, which Ranger confirmed, and mentioned that the team's last goblin slaying quest involved clapping again, but this time was to draw them outside the cave to fight in the open, then crush them, which Goblin Slayer reacted to by saying that they were thinking like goblins, which disturbed the team, but Goblin Slayer established that thinking like them means they have a higher chance of winning.

Fighter also mentioned that she clapped just to piss them off, but regretted it when a hob roared and nearly blew her eardrums out, which Goblin Slayer responded to by saying it was a good tactic, but only if used carefully. The whole time they were talking, a girl in a farmer's outfit watched them from in-front of the door. She looked a bit like Wizard, only her hair was lighter, she had no glasses over eyes the same color as her hair, and Ranger saw the same life in her face that he sees in Fighter's, and the overalls she wore didn't do much to hide the _healthiest_ figure he'd ever seen. If she was with GS...then he was a lucky man indeed; Ranger himself had to admit she was a sight to behold to say the worst, but he only had eyes for Fighter, and he'd let goblins tear him apart on _purpose_ before he broke Fighter's heart. Although it was pretty clear that only GS himself had a shot with the farm girl; it was _amazing_ no one tried to hit on her, but since she was with _Goblin_ _Slayer_ of all people, it's no wonder the guys gave her a wide berth; they could be married, or father-and-daughter for all they knew; GS's face was never shown under any conditions.

"Oh, hello Goblin Slayer...and company." Guild Girl said as the group went up to the desk.

"Are there are quests that involved _goblins_?" GS said with a suspicious amount of glee.

"Why yes of course, there are currently two. Congrats on destroying the nest in the southern forest by the way team, anyway, the first is a swarm in the western river village, and then there's an old mountain fort that was taken by goblins, that one will be _really_ tough." Guild Girl said "

"They've settled there?" GS asked.

"Yes, and there's been a few casualties. The younger sister of the person who gave the quest was kidnapped, and no one's heard from the adventurer who went to go look for her." Guild Girl said.

"Wait. _One_ person...went into a goblin-infested fortress..._alone_?" Ranger asked in awe.

"Yes." Guild Girl said sadly.

"That's enough. From this point forward, only the six of us should be allowed to take goblin slaying quests; too many lives have been lost as it is." Ranger said firmly.

"I can't just refuse to give quests. You're not wrong, and I hate this too, but it's just not likely to sit well with people." Guild Girl said, and Ranger snarled.

"Anyways. It's too late for those people, but I can still kill the goblins; that'll prevent further deaths at their hands." GS said.

"We'll be counting on your success then. I wish you the best of luck." Guild Girl with a small bow.

"Excuse me. Did anyone else take that other ?" Fighter asked.

"Yes, a party of rookies." Guild Girl said.

"What were they like?" Ranger asked seriously, then Guild Girl looked over a paper.

"One warrior, a wizard and a priest, all Porcelain Ranked." She said.

"Huh, not a bad balance." GS said simply

"If it's the party I heard before then they're in over their heads! We had a hard time with _five_ members!" Priestess exclaimed.

"I did try to explain that to them..." Guild Girl trailed off.

"They're going to die! We have to stop them from taking that quest!" Priestess exclaimed.

"Do as you please. I'm going to destroy the mountain castle." GS said.

"You're going to abandon them?" Priestess asked aghast.

"If you think you can save them go ahead." GS said.

"_I_ will see to them. The rest of you go with Goblin Slayer." Ranger said, with that, he rushed out the door without looking at anyone...other then the farm girl who was starring at him, then he jumped on his horse and took off to the western river village, and as he rode, he remembered something Goblin Slayer said when he was asked why he became Goblin Slayer...

* * *

_"Think about how it would feel, if your home was suddenly attacked by monsters, without any warning. Picture it, they show up out of nowhere and before you know it, they're obliterating your village. They burn and destroy whatever they want. They kill your friends, your family, and they plunder what's left. Now, imagine if your older sister was attacked, she'd be tortured, forced to endure unspeakable things, and then finally...killed. Let's say you witnessed all of this first-hand, holding your breath in a hiding spot, waiting...to die. There's no way you'd forgive them; you would take up weapons, and devote your entire life to getting revenge! You'd hunt the monsters down, one by one; you'd kill obsessively, your hands always smelling of blood! Some days you'd be successful, and on others, you'd fail. You'd think of a better way to kill them the next time; this would be the only thing that occupied your mind. You'd test every idea you came up with, no matter how absurd, and against your better nature...you'd start to enjoy it. A naive person might suggest you let the children live, but she's not thinking about how they'll grow up to attack the villages, stealing women and livestock to survive. You'll watch young, aspiring adventurers, those with new Porcelain Ranks, who will think "I chased away a goblin that came to my village once; they're weak, easy to deal with." These rookies won't realize that the goblin they proudly chased away was likely an injured wanderer, whose horde has been destroyed. Still, this gives the young adventure false confidence. Meanwhile, goblins that survive an attack gain experience, they become wanderers, and grow stronger. Eventually, the wanderers become bodyguards, or leaders of new nests. In a way, I am, in turn, a monster to them."  
_

* * *

Ranger was snapped out his memories by his thoughts of what that meant for his team; all over again, the size of the arrow he saved team from snapped to the front of his mind, and so did his relief that he was there to save them, and make them grow stronger. For a single, fleeting moment...he even imagined the three girls getting captured and wind up like the other girls they saved, and then he crushed the thought right away; he's been through enough to know that thinking that way was downright _brainless_; no one in their right mind would dwell on that idea...especially in Fighter's case; her being involved alone was enough to make him snap out of it because of the knowledge he had on grief and despair, not to mention that he loved her with his entire soul; she was the heart that beat outside of his chest, and he'd tear every goblin in the world apart to see her smile at him the way she smiled at him by the pond at his home, even if it was only for one moment. The sentiment burned his eyes and then solidified his resolve as he gripped his Steel Rank tag; he'll be _damned_ if he'll let that team of adventurers deal with a horde of those little green shitstains by themselves, but not even an hour later, he saw three people, one in-between two others holding him up.

"Where did you three just come from!?" Ranger asked urgently.

"Whoa! Chill out. We just cleared out an abandoned town full of goblins. No biggie." One of the three said,

"You _what_?" Ranger said in awe then rode off as another of the three tried to talk to him, but Ranger wasn't listening. When he reached the reached the river village, he looked around hastily, but found nothing but dead goblins and checked every corner for survivors, but found none. When he was satisfied after a pain-staking search, he returned to his horse, then rode back to the group "You were all _very_ lucky."

"What are you talking about? Goblins are as pathetic as they come."One of the three said.

"Wrong! Goblins might not be much on their own, or in an open field, in board daylight, but in swarms, in caves, when you're not looking for them? No...I myself nearly died to one who jumped on me from behind, and my team would be dead or worse if I hadn't been there for them on our first mission. Do _not_ make goblin slaying a habit." Ranger said seriously, then rode back to the tavern to break the news, and by the time he got there, it was twilight. "Are my team and Goblin Slayer back yet?"

"No! They're still at that mountain fort. You should be able to catch them if you go now." Guild Girl said seriously.

"Alright. Thank you so much." Ranger said as he got back on his horse and rode to get to them, and by the time he got there, night was nearly settled in, then when he found GS and his team, he coupled his horse to their wagon which they apparently pulled by hand; Fighter must've done it with her necklace empowering her he guessed, then he rushed to get to them. "Wait! wait..." The team snapped to look at him as he stopped to catch his breathe, and Fighter helped keep his back straight.

"The adventurers?" She asked.

"They're alright. Turns out they didn't need my help." Ranger said.

"Did you check for survivors?" Goblin Slayer said as he was looking at the fort with a bow and flaming arrow at the ready.

"Yes, there weren't any. I checked _several_ times." Ranger said.

"Very good. Ready?" GS asked as he took aim, Fighter then lit her own arrow with Wizard's fire.

"Ready. Hey boss? You want to join us?" Fighter asked as she took aim too.

"No...I want to just watch for once." Ranger said as he sat down by a nearby tree, and with that, GS and Fighter fired their burning arrows at the fort, and the whole thing was ablaze in less than a minute. Wizard then jumped in and launched fireballs at the fort from the other side of the group. While they were shooting, Ranger recalled GS's speech, and his thoughts about his team, especially Fighter; seeing her next to the great Goblin Slayer, whose name and reputation spoke for themselves, burning down an entire fort full of goblins was it's own special kind of glorious. He fell in even deeper love with her, and even felt a spark of lust enter his thoughts as he looked over her figure from where he was sitting, but silenced those thoughts; he could go down that road when they were both ready for it.

"They're on their way." GS said and lead the whole team to the fort's entrance, and Priestess used Protection to keep the goblins inside except one who noticed that it was alone, then turned to the team...only for GS to put an arrow in it's face. "That's quite a useful new miracle you've been granted."

"My good Goblin Slayer. You don't know the half of it..." Warrior said knowingly.

"Six dead, the rest will most likely burn inside." GS said simply.

"Yes, but it seems wrong to use this miracle to cause harm like this..." Priestess said sadly.

"They're _goblins_. Who cares?" Wizard said.

"They most likely have a back door, or another escape rout. Be on-guard." GS said as Ranger pulled his crossbow, since his bench-warming time was probably over.

"Are you sure? You' think they'd all use it since they're all literally burning alive, or have lungs full of smoke right now." Warrior asked.

"Maybe the fire is stopping them?" Ranger asked.

"Imagination is a weapon. Those who lack it, are the first to die." GS said thoughtfully.

"Just like the ones who take quests without considering the consequences." Priestess said.

"Precisely..." GS said as Priestess knelt and put her hands together in prayer, then it started raining heavily. "At least we won't have to extinguish the fire. When it dies out, we'll hunt down those who survived the blaze. We can't let _any_ of them live."

"Right." Fighter said with conviction, then the team followed Goblin Slayer and then found over a dozen survivors, and Priestess, Ranger and Wizard watched him, Warrior and Fighter mow them down like a scythe to wheat.

"Just as I suspected. I'm not what they expect of a Silver Rank..." GS said.

"But you deserve it through and through. We took down an entire fort full of goblins, but you put in most of the work. Not just anyone can make an impact this big, even if it's unsung." Ranger said.

"Maybe..." GS said while looking at the clouds overhead.

* * *

**And that's a wrap, and holy shit on a _stick_, that's alot of dead goblins! Hundreds in one chapter Also, notice the shift in Ranger's mood towards how his team impacts the world around them, and why, not to mention Goblin Slayer is showing how it's done to his would-be sidekicks. Also...apparently the heat is on between Ranger and Fighter eh? Next thing you know they'll hump like animals in a chapter or 2...just kidding, they're not far along enough, plus they're not ready to be actual parents yet, which as we all know, is the whole reason that kind of action is possible. Now...about that speech, for those of you that don't know, it's ripped directly from Goblin Slayer's mouth, and it's a pretty big deal to say the least, which is why I tried to copy it word for word to honor GS as much as possible, and then there's the fact that Ranger wasn't needed for not one, but 2 situations just now so, yeah. Anyways, thanks for reading, be sure to Rate, Review, and Share, and stay tuned.**


	6. Chapter 3

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team. Now...I re-watched the 3rd episode and...boy was I underwhelmed; on one hand, not alot happens, so I had to flesh this one out _alot_, but on the other, it means I can go through this quicker, so...sit back and enjoy this breadcrumb of a chapter.**

**Review response: If the Supreme God is a woman, then the most braindead obvious way to make that clear is to call her the Supreme Goddess, so...wtf? As for my writing style...yeah you do have a point with some of the paragraphs being too damn big; I do admit I got carried away, both with the size and how they were handled, and this chapter is going to focus on a specific day, and mention what was going on in detail, so that's no longer as issue. Like I said at the start, this is my 1st writing so expecting perfection is unreasonable, and although I'm a tad disappointed in myself for making that error in the 1st place...I'm a grown man and I've given depression, or at least melancholy, a giant middle finger more than once; I can handle this. But in of a few, but not all of my mistakes, some are accidental, like my grammar being flawed on occasion, which I DO go over and correct every now and then in case anyone didn't notice, but me simply saying what they do without giving examples? Well, it's obviously not perfect, but if I don't have any examples, I by default can't put it down. All that being said, my #1 hope aside from patching a hole in the audience's heart that that ungodly 1st episode left, is that people realize that I give more than 1 damn about my work, and that they know I do appreciate the support, ideas, etc, as long as it's civilized of course. ******Now...as for Ranger saving the girls and explaining why? Well, all I can say is: can you smell the character development?****

**Minor spoiler/warning: Things are going to get "steamy" in this chapter, and it's getting the same treatment as the rest of the romantic content, so if you're not fond of that kind of thing for whatever reason, then you might want to skip this chapter, or at least the 5th scene...you know what, forget that; I had a "warning label" on the 5th scene, but in hindsight, I don't know why I put that there; this is Goblin Slayer, and I'm handling it the way I think it should be handled. I HATE the way it was handled, and I'm certain I'm not alone, so there...  
**  
****A/N: Now, just to let you know, Ranger and Fighter are going to get even busier down the line, but the whole point of that is for her to go through intimacy the RIGHT way, and she deserves no less. Yes, it's a sensitive topic, but if I do not let her have a chance at the kind of happiness that comes from love, or the kind of happiness that only comes from friendships like the ones with her other teammates, or happiness as a general concept, then as far as I'm concerned, I will have failed every single person that shares my vision, which is a chance I REFUSE to ignore. Besides, you're allowed to lust after someone who mutually loves you; it would be alittle amazing if you didn't; let's be real...  
****

* * *

Just after dawn, Ranger was roused from sleep, but after seeing what time it was, he swooshed a mouth-cleaning solution in his mouth, spat it out in a bucket, then went back to sleep. When he woke up about an hour later, he was greeted by Fighter, his love and life, with her hair down, and on both knees next to his bed as if waiting for him to wake, then smiled brightly when he woke.

"Good morning handsome." She said softly.

"Good morning love." Ranger said still a tad sleepy; yesterday's shenanigans took more than a bit out of him than he thought, but seeing her, and then getting a kiss from her woke him fully, then he wrapped both arms around her and deepened the kiss, then she pulled back a bit. and let him sit up, giving her another look at his sculpted torso. He wasn't just lean, he was getting bulkier too, and she was feeling a bit left out that he never saw _her_ body without her robe on, even though she caught him looking her over apparently trying to imagine what she'd look like nude. All those thoughts, and the sight of his torso, turned her passion into hunger and she kissed him again, and this time with vigor instead of softness, and apparently she wasn't the only one aroused, because Ranger then stuck his tongue into her mouth with she then started lashing with her own tongue with a small moan. They then pulled back and came together about 2 or 3 times before their hunger was stated and Ranger came back down to Earth first.

"As...breathtaking as that was...we do have a special day ahead of us." Ranger said groggily, Fighter then nodded; she knew what he meant.

* * *

That "special day" turned out to be Wizard's birthday; she was turning 17, and as fortune would have it, a dwarven caravan arrived last night, and that morning, they began hawking goods of all kinds, from exotic cuisine, to materials, to trinkets, to fabrics, to weapons and armor. The team made a quick stop at the tavern to see if any quest struck their fancy, but none did, although not slaying goblins on Wizard's _birthday_ was a blessing in disguise, if you could call it a "disguise". Guild Girl then wished Wizard a happy birthday as the team left, then Ranger and Warrior left the girls to do some shopping, which involved Fighter getting a new outfit for herself: a light brown robe and belt, with dark grey pants, both of which were less baggy, but were easier to put on, especially the robe which could be opened from the front. Her two other girl friends approved as well, and she silently hoped Ranger would as well; she noticed her new outfit emphasized her figure a bit more without revealing any skin, although she _did_ keep the scarf. replaced her boots with a set of smaller shoes and noticed a set of metal leg guards with some sort of slots on them, when she asked about them, and she was told that the slots were for a set of retractable blades, which she wanted _right_ away; on her first quest she nearly had her foot crushed by a hob, but if she had these, then the hob probably would've crippled it's own hand.

Priestess didn't want any new clothes, but instead on her hands on some fingerless gloves, and a bag of apples for Ranger's horse; she noticed they were running low, then she told the two other girls that she'd be right back, then went to the temple to check on the girls they saved. They all looked like hell, but like Ranger said, there was hope they would recover. She even saw one of the girls shuffle over to a shrine, put her hands together and pray. Priestess then left the building before her emotions got the best of her; she was praying for them non-stop since that mission, but this was too much to see, especially since this was Wizard's birthday and the last thing she wanted was for them to worry about her on what was supposed to be a special day.

Wizard's was the best case saved for last; she got some earrings, a necklace, a bag of some of the foods being sold, enough for the whole team if shared right, asked for a few patterns to be painted on her hat, which made it resemble Witch's hat, only smaller, and with some subtle differences, she also got a new black cloak with a yellow rim, and a bright red and purple dress, with some green specks all over the front, which wowed the entire group when they went home to see her put it all on. She then put some enchantments on the earrings to make them help keep her mind clear, her necklace to make breathing easier, which speaks for itself and her staff was left the way it was; it wasn't just her weapon, it was her graduation gift from the academy, and she didn't know how to make it any better past it's sentimentality, but maybe Ranger could help her figure it out, now that she thought about it. The entire trip cost them a roughly a quarter to a third of their funds, but it was well worth it, and Wizard promised to continue to make it worth it in the future.

* * *

Meanwhile, the two guys went the blacksmith to get Warrior a one-handed warhammer, and swap out his longsword and short sword for a single hand-and-a-half sword to get rid of the redundancy; hand-and-a-half swords could be used like either type of sword, for the price of one, hence the name. They also added some plating to the shoulders to make a heart stab more difficult, and planned to ask Wizard to make it more flexible after her birthday; they didn't want to put pressure on her, on her birthday. Warrior even got himself a helmet that left the nose and mouth open, but not the cheeks, and left enough room for the eyes to not cut off his side vision, was was _vital_ in goblin fights, it also had chailmail that covered his neck, and of course, he thought it looked badass. Ranger took a look at the crossbows, but they each had to be cranked back with a winch which was out of the question; Ranger's crossbow was designed to be simple, but easy to load and fire at the cost of a shorter reach and damage, but that didn't matter if you have alot of targets and knew how to shoot right, and crossbows hit hard enough as it was. He also replaced his twin swords with a pair of what looked to be a pair of xiphos/scimitar hybrids, as they could not only swing better, but also thrust, chop and slice better than what he had, even though they were a bit shorter.

The two then went to the training grounds to test Warrior's new hammer and sword on some straw dummies, and it got stuck a few times but they could sharpen/harden it later. Warrior even unscrewed the pommel and threw it at the mat as a gag.

"Really?" Ranger deadpanned which made Warrior bust his sides laughing.

"Sorry boss, I couldn't resist." Warrior said as he screwed the pommel back on. Ranger then had Warrior throw the hammer a few times, as well as train his shield bash with both the flat side, and the edge. He even tried dual-wielding the hammer and sword in both hands, going back-and-forth between which hand has which weapon. "So, any idea what the girls are doing?"

"My guess? Getting some new outfits to try on, seeing the sights, or...just sharing some stories, or any mix of the three." Ranger said.

"Makes sense. And I can see that you and Fighter are doing well, but don't worry, the _last_ thing I'd do is judge you." Warrior said before taking a moment to let things sink in. "She practically worships you, you know."

"And I her." Ranger whispered.

"Now, normally I'd tell you that I'd tear you a new one if you broke her heart, but heh, if you love her half as much as she loves you, that's not necessary." Warrior said "Besides, we both know how I'd fair if I fought you to the death. Heaven forbid it comes to that by the way."

"Don't sell yourself too short my good sir. Need I remind you that you've beaten me a few times during our matches, even though I'm wearing _lamellar_ armor, which is superior to what you have?" Ranger asked.

"No...you do not." Warrior said, he got in some more crossbow practice before heading home.

* * *

When they arrived, they were greeted by Wizard leaving her room, and Warrior's jaw dropped seeing her new look.

"Wow..." Warrior whispered.

"You look like a completely different person." Ranger said equally as surprised but more controlled; he could only give Fighter a reaction as strong as Warrior's just was, little did she know...

"You're both sweet. We also bought some new foods to celebrate not only my birthday, but our recent successes. Ladies?" Wizard said with her good mood being less-than-subtle, the other two came out of her room, Fighter still wearing her old outfit to keep her new one a secret...for now, and set the table for the team as Wizard noted the guys' new gear "You look nice as well."

"Thanks! Hey! She was talking to me! No, she was talking to _me_!" The two said at the same time which made the girls laugh at the guys' antics before they all sat down with Wizard in the middle for once; since it was her birthday, Ranger made her the leader for a minute, which was a once-in-a-lifetime chance she was _definitely_ not going to waste.

"This was, without a single doubt, the best birthday I've ever had, and I have all of you to thank for it. I've been thinking about putting some enchantments on the cart itself, and maybe even what your horse has boss, but until now, I never knew what I'd do with them. But the first thing I'm going to do tomorrow morning is go over the options and let you pick which one I use boss." Wizard said, andRanger nodded in agreement "Now, dig in." The team then tried each dish, some were good, some were awful, others were unusual, some even appealed to some members of the team, but not the others, so they got the entire dish to themselves. When they were done, they cleaned up and each went to their rooms for the night.

* * *

Later on, Ranger dropped off his armor, cloak and new swords, and went to see Fighter, saw her take out her new outfit...and change into it. Ranger's heart raced when she stripped; he could see that her muscles were larger, and probably denser thanks to the training and questing they've been doing, and even felt her muscles through her robe during some of their sparring, especially when they threw grappling into the mix, which was a _whole_ new level of steamy in it's own right, but to actually _see_ her semi-bare flesh was a treat and a half.

She either didn't notice or didn't care that he was watching through her only-somewhat-closed door, but she made no attempt to hide what she was doing, and he drank in the entire scene. Her powerful muscles, her decently thick, yet creamy-looking skin, her ample breasts and round, supple buttocks both of which were hidden but still emphasized by her undergarments, and he probably knew how she felt when she caught him bare-chested earlier this morning, even though she didn't see him from the waist-down. Then she actually put her new robe, belt, and pants on and Ranger knew right away she must've thought this through when it came to showing her hypnotic figure; the outfit fit her like a glove, and then she innocently licked her luscious lips which aroused him even further, and when she went to look in the mirror, she called to him before she got to the mirror.

"What do you think?" She said before Ranger walking in wearing his underclothes.

"I answered that question after you showed me what you looked like with your hair down." Ranger teased.

"You mean like _this_?" She said before yanking the band out of her hair and shaking her head, making her hair flail around.

"With less majesty, but yes. Whenever I think you couldn't get any lovelier, I'm immediately proven wrong." Ranger said while approaching and touching her hair.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that. Am I correct in assuming you were watching me change?" Fighter asked softly.

"Would you break my neck if I said "yes and you looked divine?" Ranger teased.

"No...I would do this...and ask you to touch me." Fighter said as she removed her belt and let her robe fall down.

"Where?" Ranger asked.

"Surprise me." Fighter said with a smile before closing her eyes trusting Ranger, only to feel her bra be undone, then his hands swallow each of her breasts whole, which she gasped at, then her gasp gave way to soft, pleasured moans as Ranger weighed and kneaded the two globes of soft, priceless flesh. "Ranger..."

"Would you like me to stop?" Ranger asked.

"No,I...I want to see you too." Fighter said before Ranger pulled back a bit to remove his shirt, then Fighter examined his reflection, then turned to run her hands over his iron-hard abs, pecs and arms, then looked him in the face and pulled him into a kiss, which he returned, all-the-while softly growling when her soft breasts pressed into his hard chest. Then they took it up a notch by kissing multiple times in quick succession, taking full advantage of each other's vulnerability, and feeling the warmth of each other's breathe and bodies before Fighter kissed down his neck, started licking and sucking like a vampire, then moaned when Ranger gripped both her ass cheeks and gave them the same treatment as her breasts.

Then she closed her door, pulled down her pants, and went back to Ranger, who backed up to her bed before she pushed him down and picked up where she left off on his neck, and he continued kneading her ass. Then he was on top of her kissing and licking up and down _her_ neck, with her holding the back of his head the whole time, silently telling him to keep going, before he started licking her nipples which made her whole body tense up from the pleasure and she started gasping from it. "Ranger...remove your pants too..." Ranger couldn't say no despite his pride in making her feel _this_ much pleasure, then he took off his pants, then looked over her body as she looked over his legs, which were as powerful as the rest of him, and his aroused manhood pressed up against his lower abdomen in his underpants, he then got back on the bed, while running one of his hand up her thigh, feeling how thick her skin was and how dense the muscles underneath were, then he flipped her over, and caressed her back and buttocks...again, then he massaged both her legs, all the while hearing her give off husky chuckles, then he flipped her over onto her front, then she reached up for him to come down and kiss her, which was quite possibly the most adorable thing he's ever seen, and he gladly went down to meet her parted lips with his own. He then felt her abs tense up as he caressed them as well while sucking her breasts again, then noticed that their underwear was all that needed to be removed, but he thought about it for a good three seconds.

"This is as far as we should go..." Ranger said harshly.

"What?" Fighter asked as in disappointed.

"As much as my body is _screaming_ at me to make love to you fully...we're not ready to be parents yet, not by a longshot." Ranger said which floored Fighter; she clearly hadn't considered that.

"You're right...we still have goblins to kill, people to save...and a life to build." Fighter said softly and seriously. then Ranger touched her cheek.

"And we will, and we will do so together." He said before he gave her the sweetest kiss he could muster, then stood up to put his clothes back on, and even hung up her new outfit for her "The only hard part about his, is that eventually I'll have to clean myself again..."

"We could still do this more often." Fighter teased before Ranger looked at her with a spark of lust.

"You damned _succubus_..." He said huskily before marching over and pressing his lips to hers again, then he left without a word, after letting the heat between them die down.

* * *

The next morning, Ranger woke up and the first thing that came to mind was the lingering feeling of Fighter's flesh rubbing against his own; he wondered how long it would linger, but there was no question about how much he'd treasure the memory itself, and the thought continued to bounce around inside his head as he dressed, put on his armor, cloak, and weapons, but then he took a moment to snuff out the lust in his mind with some minor meditation before heading out to meet the team. When he saw Fighter come out, she was wearing a _low_ ponytail this time, and from the face-splitting smile she gave him, he could tell she treasured their passionate encounter as much as he did if not _more_.

"Good morning love." Fighter said huskily as she hugged him tightly.

"Good morning to _you_ love." Ranger said and he hugged her back. "What's with the ponytail?"

"I just...wanted to try it out. How do I look?" Fighter asked.

"Fighter...you could shave your head and I'd still revere you." Ranger said seriously.

"Good to know. Although...thick chance of me shaving my head." Fighter said with amusement.

"That is _also_ good to know." Ranger said before kissing her. "I love you."

"And I love you, boss." Fighter said before joining their teammates, who were outside watching Wizard enchant the cart to make it, and whatever it carried roughly 50% lighter, which of course put less strain on the horse, especially if they increased the load later on.

"Oh, hey boss." Wizard said as the 2 "lovebirds" came outside "Sorry I didn't wait, but this lightening enchantment was a no-brainer, but your horse is _definitely_ going to need your attention." They then went over the different enchantments, all of which were pretty tempting, from horseshoes that made the horse move faster, to a bridle that let the horse regenerate on the off-chance it was hurt, to a saddle that made the horse stronger to add to he cart's ease of movement; the obvious answer was putting all of them on at once, but that would take too long, and they had to get to the tavern ASAP before someone else took a goblin slaying quest and they had to save them, or at least prevent the saving from being needed, so Ranger choose the speed-boosting horseshoes to get the quests done faster.

Ranger then looked over the rest of the team's gear and noticed Priestess had a ruby necklace which enabled a healing factor so she didn't have to waste a miracle on herself, and give a teammate a chance to save her if she was incapacitated somehow. Her dress was also enchanted so her body itself benefited from any enchantments. Warrior's armor was already enchanted to be lighter and more flexible, but his hammer was given the same treatment which let him throw it further and faster, and his sword had that glorious self-maintenance enchantment.

While they were going over all that, Fighter was caressing the horse's face, much to it's approval. Ranger had taught the whole team how to handle a horse, but it took a special liking to Fighter, probably because it knew she was it's rider's mate. When Wizard was done with the enchanting, she went back inside to fetch her staff, on which she tried her new Transmute spell to turn the wood of the shaft into solid steel, which fit her new outfit perfectly. The spells in that book the old Abbot gave her were a pain in the ass to learn, but they were worth every second she spent learning them, even if she was isolated for most of her time studying them. When the team reached the tavern, they spotted a team of people they never saw before: one was an elf archer, another was an old dwarf, and the last was one of the fabled Lizardmen, but then they went to the front desk.

"Welcome back, team. How was- Nice gear you two." " Guild Girl said, then Fighter and Warrior stepped aside to reveal the new Wizard. "Wizard?! Is that you?"

"In the living flesh." Wizard said with a smirk, as she noticed some others staring at her.

"You must've had one good birthday. I'm happy for you.". Guild Girl said.

"As pleasant as this is, we're looking for Goblin Slayer." Ranger said seriously.

"Oh, he went upstairs with a three-person team just before you showed up. If you wait, I'm sure he'll come down soon." Guild Girl said.

"Alright then." Ranger said as the team sat down at a table, then a pair of rookies showed up to talk to Ranger.

"Hey Ranger? We would like some help with a quest." the boy said.

"Normally we would, but we're waiting for someone to finish a meeting." Ranger said.

"Yes, the brooding one who never removes his helmet." The girl with the boy said with irritation in her voice.

"We know that, but there's something off about him." The boy said.

"He's just focused on his life's goal, that is all." Ranger said.

"But...he's a Silver Rank that only kills goblins, the weakest-" The boy said before Ranger cut him off.

"And for good reason. They might be small and frail, but they're also sadistic beyond words." He said seriously.

"I've heard he drags Porcelain Ranks along to use as goblin bait!" She girl exclaimed.

"That's the stinkiest load of donkey shit I've ever sniffed." Ranger snapped which made his whole team roar with laughter one by one, as well as a few other people who must've heard him.

"Now...now...you're not spreading rumors, are you?" That Witch Ranger saw the other day asked as she showed up behind the boy.

"We're just trying to warn them about him." The boy said.

"How noble...You go on...I'll take it from here, o.k? Do forgive them. May I sit?" Witch asked.

"Of course." Ranger said simply. Warrior was apparently taken with the Witch, probably because of her husky voice and speech pattern and the fact that her well-developed breasts were nearly spilling out of her dress, but Ranger himself...he nearly got his hands on Fighter's virginity after going through who-knows-how-much hell; he was _set_. Priestess was abit nervous around her, Wizard was interested in her because of her being a fellow magic-user, of a _Silver_ Rank nonetheless, and Fighter sat there impressed and relieved that hers was the only body Ranger was interested in.

"Now...I hear the five of you are with the helmed one." Witch noted as she crossed her legs.

"We are indeed. Although we do things ourselves as well." Ranger said simply.

"Such as?" Witch asked.

"We took an investigation quest, which my Wizard friend got a Gold Ranked adventurer's spellbook from, we went to wipe out some goblins in a cabin which was purged by a Revenant, and most recently, we helped Goblin Slayer destroy a whole fort full of goblins Normally I would've suggested we clear it out and let it be put to use later, but there must've been hundreds in there, and who knows if the cycle would repeat." Ranger siad.

"And...between all of us...it was pretty fun to watch it burn down." Warrior said with a smirk.

"I'll bet." Witch said as she noticed him and Priestess staring at her chest. "You're imagining something naughty are you?"

"Uh, no ma'am! Not at all!" Warrior said as the two snapped back to how they were which Witch chuckled at.

"Now, this spellbook I heard about." Witch said as she turned to Wizard, taking in her new look. "What did you learn so far?"

"Well, there's a fire spell I knew beforehand. Then there's Reflect, Transmute, Heal, Repair, and Life Sight, all of which I have yet to perfect, but I'm working on them. I also know how to charge my fire spell, and even enchant things by heart." Wizard said.

"Enchanting is a rare and incredibly useful ability. I can also feel the enchantments on all your gear; she must've been busy." Witch said.

"Yes I was." Wizard said as Witch ignited her pipe with a purple spark.

"You don't think I'm wasting a spell do you?" She asked.

"It's your magic; use it as you please." Wizard said seriously before Witch smoked her pipe a single time.

"Oh...happy belated birthday dear." Witch said sweetly.

"Thank you very much." Wizard said before Witch turned back to Ranger.

"Now...you said you encountered a Revenant?" She asked, to which Ranger nodded. "Those guys can be quite daunting can't they?"

"You don't know the half of it. We saw a goblin stab his arm several times, and he didn't even care!" Fighter said.

"They say Revenants are little more than unfeeling, unkillable, monsters in human form. But luckily they're quite pleasant as long as you let them do their thing." Witch said.

"You've encountered one before?" Wizard asked.

"Oh yes. Back when I was Emerald Ranked. I was fighting a band of outlaws when he showed up, then he removed the souls of both dead and living. I was pretty unsettled by the sight at first. He was quite handsome for a dead man, if I say so myself." Witch said.

"But...he was _dead_. Well...undead anyway." Warrior said.

"Of course I wasn't going to pursue a romance with him. It is quite possible to be pleased by something yet not want it, that goes especially for love." Warrior said.

"Hard to argue with that." Ranger said as Witch recrossed her legs.

"Now...that Goblin Slayer fellow. He seems like a handful, rather dense too. Must be hard traveling with a man like that." Witch said.

"It takes getting used to, but it's quite rewarding." Ranger said which the team nodded to, and Witch smoked a second time.

"Then there's the fact, that he's a bit crazy. He's good of course; his only interest is in slaying goblins, but he's been honing his blade for years now. You know? There's no denying that he helps to make the world a safer place, as do the rest of you. Much more so then those of lesser skill who go after greater prey. However that being said, it wouldn't hurt to hunt something different every once in a while." She then smoked a third time "The world is _full_ of monsters, take at the capital; it's overrun these days. Demons..."

"Yeah we noticed. That investigation quest involved a former Gold Rank saving our asses from a horde of them." Warrior said.

"Oh? You must be honored. Few people become Gold Rank for a reason." Witch said genuinely impressed.

"No kidding. That old man ripped through all those demons like they were paper, then restored the monastery they were fighting in, and he didn't even break a sweat." Warrior said, and Witch gave off a small chuckle.

"Anyway, you're Goblin Slayer friend asked a _strange_ favor of me earlier. One involving a certain scroll..." She said and Wizard facepalmmed.

"Scrolls! Why did I think of that earlier?" She exclaimed.

"Oh? I'm glad I gave you some inspiration dear. Anyway, he doesn't want me to give any details. I'm sorry." Witch said.

"He must have his reasons." Ranger said.

"As for that aspiring Cleric and Rookie Warrior that talked to you, why not let them join you?" Witch asked.

"Because...with all due respect to all involved, it's not that simple." Ranger said.

"Why not?" Witch asked.

"Because we're not just a team, we're practically family, and I can tell that they shouldn't get involved in what we do; they're not the right type for it." Ranger said.

"Fair enough." Witch said while standing and bowing slightly to the team "I'm happy we could talk. I am. But I must join my partner now." She then walked away. Goblin Slayer came downstairs to get his pay from Guild Girl a while later, and when she mentioned his meeting was over, Priestess rushed over to him.

"Goblin Slayer! What did they want? Is it a quest?" She asked.

"Yes. Slaying goblins." GS said.

"Then let's go." Priestess said.

"No. I'm going alone."" GS said

"What? Why?" Ranger asked

"You've been doing this long enough. You should rest." GS said.

"We spent all of yesterday celebrating my _birthday_!" Wizard exclaimed.

"Then...happy birthday." GS said.

"I _meant_ that we've rested enough!" Wizard said in astonishment.

"Yeah! We've been working our asses off trying to get stronger, and it's for this _very_ reason!" Warrior said.

"I see. Then come along." GS said, and with that, they left the tavern, with the three strangers following at a distance.

* * *

On the way to the goblin-infested fortress, the now nine-person team stopped to make camp in the middle of a plain, and before heading to bed, the team got to know each other's backstories and abilities. The High Elf Archer was damn good with a bow, and turned out to be a fellow ranger herself which got Ranger's attention right away; Rangers were trained to stick together for a reason, but she became an adventurer to see the world. Lizard Priest wanted to "Root out heresy and become a dragon" whatever that meant, he could also summon a skeletal dragon to help fight, turn dragon teeth into swords, which was insane, and also multiply his strength if need be. Dwarf Shaman was just in it for the food and could control the earth in various ways.

They also shared foods, Lizard Priest sharing roasted swamp creature meat, High Elf Archer sharing from elven field rations, Dwarf Shaman sharing some firewine, which was the single strongest beverage any of them tasted, the team each shared some of the food they had on Wizard's birthday which Dwarf Shaman of course recognized as dwarven food and noted that they got some of the best and worst the dwarves had to offer, which led H.E. Archer to throw shade at the dwarf, who returned the favor until Wizard snapped at them to put a sock in it. Then Ranger shared some spare apples, and Goblin Slayer shared some cheese, which Lizard Priest never heard of, but once he had a taste...he flipped out over it and even dramatically called it "nectar of the gods".

They wrapped up their camping trip by discussing what GS's scroll was about, but GS remained tight-lipped. Lizard Priest was kind enough to explain that scrolls tend to contain rare and powerful magic that even a child could use; no wonder GS wanted it to be a secret. Dwarf Shaman explained that people usually sold them to researchers for some quick coin, but Wizard wanted to collect as many as possible; maybe she could buy some herself and maybe be of even _more_ use to her team, and the three newcomers maybe.

After that, they discussed where goblins came from, from ranged from guessing they came from underground, to the myth that jealous turns people into goblins, or as GS said, they came from the green moon over their heads. He also mentioned his late older sister, and when Ranger asked who his farm girl friend was, GS answered that she was a childhood friend of his, and the only family he had left. The softness in his voice made it clear to Ranger that he probably cared about her the same way Ranger cared about Fighter, or at least the same way Fighter cared about Warrior. In either case, that was GS's business, not his, and with that, Ranger grabbed some sleeping bags from the cart and rolled them out for the team, and Ranger slept in the cart with the least fancy bag; the others needed the extra stuffing to combat the elements but he slept in the cart; he wasn't exposed anywhere near as much.

The next morning, the nine-person team approached their destination: the entrance to a series of underground ruins overrun by goblin filth, soon to be hit by a storm of magic, steel, and blood...

* * *

**Now, I doubt I need to say this, but Episode 3 was pretty low-key, so this one being low-key, albeit _less_ low-key what with Wizard having her birthday, Ranger stimulating Fighter's brains out, some boasting to that bombshell of a Witch, and getting three new characters to interact with our team. I'll bet you're all looking forward to seeing how that works right? Well, I'll do what I can, for the people! But on a serious note: I'm only assuming that Wizard is 17 and her birthday was that day; I have no idea how old she really is, let alone when her birthday is, but the idea speaks for itself. Now...should I have Warrior get involved with either Wizard of Priestess? I'm thinking Wizard has a higher chance for reasons I doubt need explaining but, I'm not promising anything. Now, as this chapter proved, not _every_ chapter will have several parts, although it's funny that the 1st chapter had 3 parts, chapter 2 had 2, and chapter 3 has 1. Anyway, please remember to rate, review, and share and be prepared for more blood, violence, and ass-kicking in chapter 4. Stay tuned.  
**


	7. Chapter 4 Part I

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. I promised you last time that there's going to be some goblin ass-kicking and like I've hopefully proven, I'm a man of my word, and I've got buckets of goblin blood that need dumping, so...get it while it's hot!**

* * *

The nine-person team spotted twogoblin guards, one of which was falling asleep, and the other was chastising it's comrade to stay awake, and they got a freaking wolf with them. Ranger pulled his crossbow, but High Elf Archer stopped him, then notched an arrow.

"If you miss this is going to be much more difficult." Dwarf Shaman said seriously.

"Quiet you..." H.E. Archer said, then she loosed her arrow and it flew to the right all of a sudden.

"Where the hell are you aiming?" the Dwarf asked, then H.E. Archer took out another arrow, and loosed it as well...right at the wolf, while the first arrow tore through the sides of both the two goblins' heads at the same time, which completely floored Ranger; her bow was as strong as his crossbow!

"How did you do that?" Warrior asked stunned by her killing three foes with two shots.

"We High Elves have our ways..." She said with pride before the team went down with Goblin Slayer, otherwise known as "Orcbolg" to H.E. Archer and "Beard-Cutter" to the Dwarf, leading them to the entrance.

"Let's go." GS said as they marched on, and when they reached the entrance, he took out a knife and stabbed one of the corpses

"What are you doing? My arrow killed them!" H.E. Archer exclaimed.

"They're highly sensitive to smells. Especially the scents of women, children...and elves." GS said.

"Not to mention steel and leather." Ranger noted as he and Warrior coated their armors in the blood, helping each other get the tough places to reach. Fighter and Wizard would put blood on, but for starters, they have better outfits that neither wanted to ruin, but also because Wizard discovered how to use the smell of blood in combination with her Reflect spell, which acted as an improvised trap for the smell to cover them, not to mention whenever the two men in their team were covered in blood, they stuck to their sides like glue. But even if they didn't, Fighter's necklace made her strong enough to rip off a hob's head with almost no trouble and her boots gave her speed to match; throwing a pack of horny goblins off of her back was child's play. Wizard even learned to give Fighter's belt a permanent reflection enchantment whenever something came at her too fast, like a strike or projectile.

"Ugh! No way! You keep that filth away from me!" H.E. Archer exclaimed as she recoiled "

"You get used to it..." Priestess said as GS came up behind H.E. Archer...

* * *

The group then walked into the ruins with Goblin Slayer leading with a torch and Fighter had a second; they would use Priestess' improved Holy Light miracle, but they didn't know how big the ruins were and even though she could use five miracles instead of three now, and still had a bit of the holy water the Abbot gave her, they weren't going to take chances; they didn't before, they're not going to now.

"Interesting designs. I believe this used to be a shrine once." Lizard Priest said as he looked at the pictures on the walls of the twisting hallway they were going down.

"It looks like some kind of battle took place here during the Age of the Gods." Priestess said.

"Or at least it was honored here." Wizard said.

"This could've been used as a fortress. Whatever the case, it was built by humans." Priestess said.

"And after it was abandoned, the goblins made it their home. What a terrible jest." Lizard Priest said.

"Speaking of terrible..." Dwarf Shaman said.

"Oh this is so _disgusting_!" High Elf Archer exclaimed.

"Goblins are a disgusting species, so it's fitting." Ranger said.

"You're not helping! And speaking of helping, how can you walk around with a crossbow that crude?" H.E. Archer asked.

"It may be "crude", but it's also easy to use. On our first goblin slaying quest, I shot down no less than five before the rest could reach us, by myself; no one else had a ranged weapon." Ranger said.

"Yeah whatever...ugh, I'm going to need a new set of clothes, and these are priceless!" H.E. Archer exclaimed.

"Um, it _does_ wash out with water...mostly..." Priestess trailed off.

"And I can clean out the rest with my magic." Wizard said.

"I'm not going to forget about this when we get back!" H.E. Archer snapped.

"Understood." GS said simply before they kept marching.

"I'm used to living underground, but this feels wrong somehow." Dwarf Shaman said.

"It must be the goblin's presence. Like I said, they're a disgusting species, but that also makes them being there daunting for those not used to it." Ranger said.

"No...I think we're walking in a spiral." H.E. Archer said.

"I wonder what's in the center...?" Priestess said somberly.

"Well whatever it is, it better watch it's ass." Warrior said.

"Wait! Stop!" H.E. Archer exclaimed which made the team stop and Ranger pull his crossbow.

"What's wrong? An alarm?" GS asked.

"I think so. I only spotted it because the marks are new." H.E. Archer said.

"Conniving monsters! These ruins could be _full_ of traps!" Dwarf Shaman exclaimed.

"That's strange..." GS said.

"What's the matter?" Priestess asked.

"There are no totems." Gs asked as he turned to her.

"In other words: No goblin shamans. Which means no spellcasters or leaders." Warrior said.

"No _ordinary_ leaders anyway." Fighter said.

"Correct miss Fighter." Lizard Priest.

"Ordinary goblins shouldn't be able to set traps like this. So we should assume they have an extraordinary leader." GS said.

"Oh boy..." Warrior groaned.

"I have heard tales of the mighty nests you and your companions have destroyed Sir Goblin Slayer. What are your preferred methods?" Lizard Priest asked.

"Smoke them out, and kill them one by one. Set them on fire, drown them in a river, there are many options, but those won't work now." GS said.

"I can use fire, but no water, at least not yet." Wizard said.

"Are there other tracks?" GS asked, and Wizard groaned at being ignored.

"Hard to tell in here; the rock floor is too smooth." H.E. Archer said.

"Let's see..." Dwarf Shaman said as he looked at the floor himself. "Their hideout is down the left hallway."

"How can you tell?" Priestess asked.

"The subtle wear on the stone. It looks like they travel from the left side to the right, and then back again, or they head from their hideout to the entrance." Dwarf Shaman said.

"What do you suggest Sir Goblin Slayer?" Lizard Priest asked.

"We go this way." GS said as he pointed to the right.

"Let me guess: We're making sure they don't jump on us from behind?" Fighter asked.

"Yes, but also because we'd be too late." GS said.

"For?" Wizard asked as they followed GS down the right hallway, then find a door with an odor so strong that Wizard threw up against the wall, and turned away from it as everyone else covered their noses "What the _fuck_ is that smell!?" She then started coughing.

"Breathe through your nose; you'll get used to it." GS said simply before busting down the door with a kick.

"What is this place?" H.E. Archer asked.

"A goblin waste heap." GS said as he walked forward.

"As in-" Fighter shut up the moment GS stepped forward to reveal the cause of a chain rattling: an elf girl was chained to the wall with no clothes on, and _cuts_ on various parts of her body; her visage was one of silent rage through her long dark blonde hair. Fighter's eyes watered right away as she covered her face in horror. "Dear Supreme..."

"Behold the true tax the goblins place on the world." Ranger said with disgust.

"Please...you have to..." The girl said with a cracked voice that tugged their heartstrings.

"She's still alive!" Priestess exclaimed.

"Heal her..." Ranger said harshly but GS stopped Priestess. "What are you doing?!

"You must kill..." The girl trailed off.

"I understand." GS said ready to pounce; Ranger had a flashback to when he killed the girls in that cave.

"NO!" Ranger yelled, but it was too late; GS charged forward.

"You must kill...this monster!" The girl yelled as a goblin sprung out only to get it's head split open by the Goblin Slayer's blade.

"That's three. What were you expecting Ranger? I'm only here to slay goblins." GS said.

"Yes, but-" GS cut him off.

"You made your own choice in that den. I simply told you what the choices were." He said simply.

"Kill them all...every last one of them...!" The chained-up girl said with anger in her voice as Ranger and Priestess rushed to her aid.

"I will." GS said as he swung his blade at the ground to remove the blood

"We all will. We will stop at nothing to see those worthless rats put in their graves. Your ordeal _will_ be avenged." Ranger said with a cracked voice before ran his hand through her hair. "And if it's any consolation, I hope this makes whatever light shines on you in the future look that much more colorful." He wanted to kiss the poor girl's forehead but knew that was a bad idea given the emotional tension in the room, then he nodded at Priestess who used a Healing miracle on the elf, and she regained her former beauty, which Ranger had to admit matched her angelic voice despite how broken she sounded, and silently hoped was a step forward in the right direction that had nowhere to go but up. Fighter then stepped forward, held his hand which he didn't return at first, but then sucked in a breathe in spite of the horrid smell, and squeezed her hand back.

"My love..." Fighter whispered.

"Let's just get out of here before I lose my cool entirely." Ranger said sharply, which Fighter was somewhat hurt by, but she felt the same way about this; how many times must this be seen!?

* * *

Lizard Priest threw down three teeth, which let him summon a skeletal version of a lizardman.

"A miracle from my ancestors. The Dragontooth warrior." He said.

"Send this with him. It should explain everything." Priestess said as she handed the Priest a note, and with that, the Dragontooth warrior carried the newly-clothed captive out of the cursed ruins and rushed to return her home where she could hopefully recover from the horrors she endured and set the example that no one was too far gone Ranger preached.

"Make haste!" Lizard Priest yelled as the Dragontooth warrior rushed out. "My conjured messenger should deliver her safely to the elves in the forest."

"Heaven holds a special place for that poor girl." Warrior said which made Wizard tear up and hide her face from the group.

"What the hell is going on?! Can you imagine what she's been through?" High Elf Archer cried as she sat by the wall burying her face in her hand.

"Whatever it was, it was payment for all her sins in her life...and others." Ranger said somberly, as he leaned on the wall in front of her as Priestess sat next to her.

"I found something." Goblin Slayer said as he came back holding a wet parchment.

"Another scroll?" Wizard asked.

"A map of the ruins. It was in this rucksack; the elf must've been using it. There's a large chamber to the left, they're likely using it as their main camp." GS said.

"So, you didn't believe me?" Dwarf Shaman said.

"I did. But the more information we have, the better." GS said.

"Very true." Ranger said before GS threw the rucksack to H.E. Archer.

"You take this ranger." GS said before getting weird looks from both her and Ranger. "Of course her. Let's go."

"Hey! Give her a second!" Priestess snapped.

"It's fine. We have to move quickly, and stop them." H.E. Archer said.

"That's right. The goblins must be put to death.". GS said.

* * *

When they entered the next chamber, High Elf Archer put an arrow right through an unaware goblin's head then they all walked up a series of stairs, all the while looking around for ambushes, then Ranger put a bolt in another goblin's head, then one ran off before Goblin Slayer pounced on it from above and killed it. They then got to a large chamber, and rested by a fire.

"How many spells do we have?" GS asked.

"I only used Heal, so I can use four more miracles." Priestess said.

"I can use three, but a Dragontooth warrior requires catalysts, I can only use that particular miracle once more." Lizard Priest said.

"I can still use all nine of my spells. But I have about three magic-restoring potions." Wizard said.

"And his old dwarf can cast about four or five. But moving the earth speaks for itself." Dwarf Shaman said.

"Right. and my potions are for anyone to use." Wizard said honestly.

"Would you like some water?" Priestess asked H.E. Archer as she handed her a water pouch.

"Yes, thank you." H.E. Archer said as she drank up.

"Show some moderation. Only a sip; a full belly with slow your movements." GS said.

"She needs something to drink! Can't you be _alittle_ more-" GS cut Priestess off.

"There's no need to act tough! If you're up to this, come. If not, go back. It's that simple." GS said seriously.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm a ranger, just like him, and last I checked, he wasn't scouting and looking for traps for even a tenth as long as I have. If I leave you, he'll have to do so." " H.E. Archer said, and she wasn't wrong; Ranger was 19 and she was over 2,000!

"We'll make due with the eight of us." GS said simply.

"There's no way I'm going back!" H.E. Archer snapped while standing and looking away. "Not after what they did to that elf! My home isn't far from here, what if they had-" Ranger cut her off while standing himself.

"But they _didn't_! Your home is in danger yes, and what happened to that elf is absolutely hellish, but all that means is that these goblins dug their own graves, now let's fill them. What do you say Goblin Slayer?" He asked.

"I say you're right." GS said, and with that, the orginal team stood up with him with determination in their faces.

"Then let's move." GS said he walked off with the team following.

"Keep your wits about you Long Ears. You should know that dwarves consider goblins their mortal enemies as well. We'll make them pay for what they did to her; I won't leave here until they're all dead." Dwarf Shaman said, and Ranger heard the whole thing; elves and dwarves might be rivals, but there's no denying that elf girl went through a punishment that fits no crime.

* * *

The next chamber was a high-up one with no ceiling that let in a massive ray of sun that made the whole room shine gold; it was breath-taking for most of the time.

"Something wrong?" Goblin Slayer asked as High Elf Archer looked over the railing and gasped.

"It's just as it looks. There are many." She said.

"Not a problem." GS said simply.

"Please let me torch them!" Wizard growled.

"No, too much noise; the ones further ahead will hear you, find the flames and run away." GS said to which Wizard groaned at in disappointment.

"Sir Goblin Slayer, do you have a plan?" Lizard Priest asked.

"I do... Stupor and Silence. With those two magics, the goblins will fall asleep before any sort alarm can be raised, and then...the six of us will slay them up close, one at a time..." GS said.

* * *

After Dwarf Shaman and Priestess used their respective spells as the goblins woke up by nightfall, which ironically put them back to sleep, Wizard stayed with Priestess to watch her and the Dwarf's backs, while Goblin Slayer, Lizard Priest, High Elf Archer, Ranger, Warrior and Fighter went in to finish the job, which was a literal bloodbath...

GS started using the goblin's own weapons to kill them instead of his own, which H.E. Archer copied when her knives got too bloody, Lizard Priest use two sickle swords he summoned to slice them open, Warrior smashed their heads in with his hammer, and even switched hands every once in a while to keep his arms from tiring, while Fighter and Ranger...well, they each simply broke their necks to save energy; stomping them takes too much strength, which they needed to conserve as much as possible. Ranger would do what GS did but...he wanted to feel their spines break to get satisfaction for what they did to that elf girl, and like GS said, against his better nature...he enjoyed breaking their necks.

As they were finishing the job, Dwarf Shaman, Priestess and Wizard all came down to inspect the damage.

"Can't say I'm fond of them being killed with their own weapons, but it's kinda fitting." Wizard said as she stabbed one with the spearhead on the bottom of her staff she added.

"It's already dead." Priestess said.

"I know, I'm just having some fun." Wizard said with a small smile which confirmed GS' speech even further, then the ground shook several times with a few seconds between shakes which they thought was a small earthquake, but the frequency snuffed their beliefs.

"Brace yourselves! This isn't over!" Ranger yelled, and on-cue, the whole team was greeted by a minor breeze, then a massive, hulking monster showed up with H.E. Archer gasping.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Warrior asked.

"An ogre!" H.E. Archer exclaimed.

"I thought those dirty goblins were awfully quiet. They don't even make good foot soldiers! You people seem more prepared than that elf from before, but you're wrong if you think you can step foot in my fortress and live!" The ogre said.

"Oh, so you're not a goblin?" GS asked.

"Are you being serious? He's an _ogre_! You've heard of them!" H.E. Archer said in astonishment.

"No." GS said simply.

"You bastard! You _mock_ me! I who have been granted an army by one of the Demon Lord's generals!" The ogre said.

"I know there are powerful monsters in the world, but I'm afraid I've never heart of you." GS said while bracing for a fight, then the ogre roars and tries to slam it's club into him, only to miss, but shatter the ground where it hits.

"Then I'll _show_ you my power, so that you may die knowing it!" The ogre bellowed while creating a fireball in it's hand that grew to envelop _half the room!_

"He's casting a fireball!" Dwarf Shaman yelled.

"Scatter!" H.E. Archer yelled.

"No! Protection!" Ranger yelled and with that, Priestess put some holy water on her staff and cast Protection which blocked the fireball with the team behind her, and some even put their hands on her for support, and eventually the fireball lost it's power.

"You saved us." GS said as he also put a hand on Priestess, who smiled at her team.

"We can handle him!" H.E. Archer said.

"Foolish little archer! You'll suffer far more than the other elf ever _dreamed_ of!" The ogre said.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure no one ever dreams of suffering _that_!" Warrior yelled.

"Create a warrior. We need more numbers." GS said.

"Yes Sir Goblin Slayer!" Lizard Priest said as he made another Dragontooth warrior and meanwhile, Dwarf Shaman threw out some pebbles which hovered in mid-air and grew in size.

"Face me little dwarf!" The ogre yelled before an arrow hit it in the eye from H.E. Archer who was overhead running around the area.

"You damn cave-dwellers are too slow!" She yelled.

"We have our own way of fighting. Observe Long Ears! Stone Blast!" Dwarf Shaman yelled, and with that, the rocks launched at the ogre en masse, which stunned it more more, and Wizard who climbed up the stairs in the confusion charged up a fireball of her own and hit the ogre in the face which knocked it into the wall behind it, and made H.E. Archer run the opposite direction

"You insect! You call that a fireball?" The ogre bellowed.

"Did better than yours did, that's for damn sure." Wizard said smugly.

"Daaaamn! Two burns at once!" Warrior said while Fighter laughed with him, then Lizard Priest and the Dragontooth warrior jumped at the ogre, only for it to block the attack.

"Now Sir Goblin Slayer!" Lizard Priest called out, and GS, Warrior, and Ranger charged the ogre and hacked at it's feet, only for the wounds to close after they're opened.

"Is this your best attack?" The ogre yelled as he swung his club and swatted GS across the room, with Ranger digging his swords into it's calf and hanging on for dear life, and Warrior continuing to slice the other foot's Achilles tendon with no luck, then Fighter threw a piece of debris at the ogre and missed twice, only for the third to hit a testicle which made it yell in pain as Ranger and Warrior retreated to the others.

As Priestess healed Goblin Slayer, the others kept he ogre busy with projectiles, including Ranger's crossbow which was frustratingly hard to get a clean shot at with the ogre's other eye, Wizard's fireballs, Dwarf Shaman's rock spells, and Fighter continuing to throw rocks. Warrior noted to get a crossbow of his own now that he has space on his back. But then the ogre started wildly swing it's club around smashing up the upper level, but H.E. Archer landed on her feet and fled to cover, then the ogre smashed the ground with it's club, destroying the Dragontooth warrior in the process, and then it charged up another fireball and used it's spare hand to block the incoming attacks. Then he noticed Goblin Slayer getting back up.

"Oh, so the human shield can still stand? Good, when I'm done with them, I'll take my time with you, then make sport of the females; they'll be my playthings, and my food; I need someone to spawn more goblins for me." The ogre said, then he threw the fireball at Goblin Slayer...who then used the scroll.

"You're a fool..." GS said simply as the scroll flashed, the fireball was snuffed out, and the ogre was sliced apart starting with it's hand. When the flash was done, the place was full of water, and the ogre was cut in half at the waist, and both hands were missing.

"But...how? What did you do?" The ogre asked as it spat up blood.

"This is a gate scroll. I linked it to the bottom of the sea." GS said holding up the now-burning blue scroll.

"Where the water is under so much pressure that anything hit by it would be crushed, or in this case, sliced to pieces." Ranger said.

"Correct. To think Sir Goblin Slayer would be wise enough to use a transfer scroll as a weapon." Lizard Priest said.

"Weapon? More like trump card." Warrior said.

"That explains why he was so tight-lipped about the scroll. Imagine if that power was used before, or taken by the goblins...actually don't." Wizard said.

"I was going to use that scroll to destroy a nest, but oh well. Now, what were you called again? Not that it matters." GS said as he climbed the ogre's severed torso.

"You're insane! You would use such power against mere goblins?" The ogre's asked a GS said as he braced to stab the ogre.

"Yes...because goblins, are _far_ more troublesome than you." GS said, and with that, he plunged his sword into the ogre's forehead and the mission was done.

* * *

The team left the ruins to find two elf troops with horses and carts to transport them; they came in response to receiving the elf girl the goblins tore up and Priestess' note, then they asked if there were any more goblins, which there weren't, and stayed to look for any survivors. With that, the whole team slept in their respective carts, except for Ranger who resolved to sleep when they got to town, which happened before he knew it, then he practically passed out and his four teammates carried him to bed, after Fighter removed his armor, and asked someone to wash it for him then she removed his clothes except for his underwear, when put him to bed.

* * *

He awoke about five hours later, to take in that he was in bed, and went to look for his team after putting his clothes on, and when he found them outside the room, he calmed down..

"Welcome back from dreamland boss." Warrior said.

"Where are we?" Ranger asked.

"A town not far from those ruins, and...we have a surprise for you." Wizard said, then Warrior reached behind a wall and pulled out a steel crossbow, or arbalest and tossed it over.

"I told you that these things require a crank-" Wizard cut Ranger off.

"Which is precisely why I enchanted it to be easier to pull the string." She said and Ranger proved her right by pulling it back with ease. "Told you."

"I got one too." Warrior said after grabbing a second. "Maybe I'll lead my own team someday."

"That...would be impressive. Come on, let's eat. These elves gave us one hell of a banquet." Fighter said, and with that, the team ate up. Some of the food was similar to the rations High Elf Archer gave them, while others had the same effect as the dwarf food, but they liked more of the elven food than the dwarf food.

"You know, with all due respect to the dwarves...maybe they should stick to mining." Warrior said and the team all hummed in agreement.

"True enough. The dwarves gave me a _killer_ dress though." Wizard said with a smirk.

"Jeez, if that was literal, that ogre would've been dead as soon as he saw you." Warrior said which made Wizard giggle.

"Oh man, why can't it be that easy." Fighter said, then Ranger took another bite and gagged. "What?! Food poisoning?"

"No...I...I just recalled that elf girl we saved." Ranger said...and the mood died. "I'm sorry, I tried everything to keep myself together." The whole team then nodded in understanding. "I...I should get more sleep; I'm still a bit drowsy." With that, he went back to bed.

"I'm...not hungry anymore so, meeting dismissed?" Wizard asked to which the others went back to bed, and Wizard wrapped up the leftovers to eat later.

* * *

When Ranger got back to his room, he nearly ripped off his shirt and kicked a desk over; thankfully it had nothing on it to clean up...then Fighter rushed in.

"Ranger?" She asked, taking in the sight of the overturned desk, and ignoring his muscled form for once.

"How many times has Goblin Slayer seen cases like this and not done anything? Yes he kills goblins to prevent them from happening to others, and I'm proud that we're carrying on the crusade at his side, but this shouldn't even be necessary!" Ranger growled...then Fighter put her hand on his shoulder; he calmed down right away.

"Ranger...like you said, there's a chance she can take her life back, or at the very least get special treatment in Heaven like Warrior said." Fighter said softly.

"Maybe so, but-" Fighter cut him off.

"But nothing. That girl is probably going to write songs about us, maybe not literally, but you get the point." She then got in front of him, touched his face and made him look at her. "You prove your leadership more and more every day, as if you ever needed to." With that Ranger hugged her tightly, and after a few seconds, undid her low ponytail. "Did you like my new ponytail?"

"Very much so." Ranger whispered before looking at her smiling face then kissed her. "But not as much as I love the beautiful woman who had it." Then he looked down at her chest.

"Search going well?" Fighter teased.

"I just-" She put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"You want to be skin-on-skin." She said as she undid her robe and stood before him in her bra "So do I." She then closed the door entirely and exposed her breasts, which he examined with his eyes before kissing her again, and squeezing her left breast, which made her moan softly. She than started lashing tongues with him, and he sat down on the bed, and they looked at each other through their eyelashes, then Ranger latched onto her right breast and licked the nipple slowly but strongly, which made Fighter give off more moans as she caressed his mighty muscles, stroked his hair and then pulled her chest away from him to look him in the face, which held no lust; only love, which made her pull his head into her chest and hold him there as he continued to hug her back

"Fighter... stay with me..." Ranger whispered softly.

"In the team, or in this bed?" Fighter asked.

"Both..." Ranger said, then Fighter stood up, went to get her robe, then set up the desk, took her pants off and put both on it, then when Ranger removed his own pants, she took both his clothes and added them to the pile, then they left their shoes and socks the foot of the bed, got under the blankets and she laid down on top of him, pressing her breasts into his pecs, then he caressed her hair, back, and eventually, her round butt, which made her chuckle.

"You just can't keep your hands off me can you?" She teased.

"I _do_ love you, but I also _want_ you. This body of yours is absolutely priceless." Ranger said huskily.

"Says the man who looks like a statue of the War God made flesh." Fighter teased.

"What's that myth about the War God and the Love Goddess being involved?" Ranger asked, and with that, she kissed him and lashed tongues with him again as he began squeezing her butt with more vigor, until she pulled back.

"If you keep this up, I won't be able to sit down." Fighter said seriously.

"Right..." Ranger said as he finally had enough, then they went to sleep. A while later, Warrior and Wizard peeked in to see Fighter sleeping next to Ranger, but didn't dare wake them up; what those two did together is none of their business and they respected their privacy.

* * *

**O.k...I know I promised a bit more, but there wasn't much to work with, and I promise to make up for it later on. Also...that bit where Wizard's weaker fireball doing damage while the ogre's planet-sized fireball did jack squat? THAT'S how you throw shade people. Seriously, she needs some ice for the lack of chill, and the ogre needs ice for his burn; his metaphorical one smartasses. I also couldn't help but notice I made a unscrew the pommel to "end them rightly" joke on Wizard's birthday, and now I made a "over 2000!" joke, as in "over 9000!" before a Ares and Aphrodite reference. I wonder what whacky bullshit I'll think of next. Want to find out? Then wait for the next chapter, Rate, Review, and Share in the meantime, and stay tuned.**


	8. Chapter 4 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. This is going to be another filler chapter, with 2 OCs returning, how will that go and where will it lead? Let's find out...**

**Review response: The reviews were being a tad quiet and I was actually starting to get worried, both for their sakes on my own; I hope nothing was wrong. Plasma Dragon? I actually took you****r input, and said to myself "this is awesome, but what can I do to make this more awesome?" Well, there's your answer. As for Wizard's new staff? If you recall, she used a Transmute spell on her original staff to make it steel instead of wood, which is fitting since she has an emotional attachment to it. She also put a spearhead on the bottom off-screen to make it a proper melee weapon, yes she's a long-ranger fighter, but as Ranger said: his team succeeds as often as they do because they take ANY advantage they can get, and why wouldn't they? It's also kinda funny that I used your idea without knowing you had it and even one-uped it by having the original turned into something new instead of having it replaced, and...my reviewers and I being on the same page seems to be a running gag.**

**As for Warrior using his hammer like Mjolnir? I wouldn't hold my breathe, although that WOULD be a sight to behold. As for Ranger and Fighter not shagging? Well...let's face it, not only is it irresponsible to have sex without being ready to start a family, but being pregnant while fighting goblins is out of the question for EXTREMELY obvious reasons. Although...I'm a bit torn on them rubbing each other's privates; on one hand...if I was in Ranger's position, I would LOVE to see Fighter's face twist in pleasure that I'm responsible for, and she'd probably feel the same way for him, but on the flip side...that tends to be rather messy, so...eh. I'm also happy to see people supporting Fighter and Ranger's relationship; Fighter deserves this kind of love so badly it's unbelievable, and that goes double for the impact on the audience. As for her armor? Possibly... But just as a note: Fighter and Ranger are never orally pleasing each other; I can't even comprehend why people go for that given what the consequences are.  
**

**I also couldn't help but notice the 1st part is the most popular by far; I guess people _really_ like the contrast between it and Episode 1, although I can't say I blame them. But that doesn't explain why the others are so far behind...anyways, on with the show!**

* * *

Thanks to Fighter sleeping next to him with both nearly naked, Ranger received the soundest sleep he's ever had. When he woke up, she was still asleep with the most peaceful look on her face he's ever seen and he couldn't help by stroke her silky hair that was black enough to rival the night, a perfect contrast to the light in her face, especially her smile. He then looked over the muscles in her arms, shoulders and back which weren't even half as large as his, but the training and questing they did over the last few weeks did her body wonders; the damage she did to goblins and the training dummies he saw her punch, even without her strength-boosting necklace spoke for itself. He once saw her ram her fist into a dummy's stomach hard enough to pierce it; if that happened to a person, chances are they would've suffered internal bleeding.

He was both aroused by her power, and pleased that she wasn't reliant on his presence, as if the case where she made two grown men who practiced toxic masculinity on her look as pathetic as they were wasn't enough proof. Despite her muscles' power, she still had skin that was just thin enough to show off her muscles, but still thick enough to give her body that look and feeling of plumpness that society deemed desirable in women. Her body really was flawless, and according to her, so was his, despite the fact he had some scars he received growing up training to be a ranger, which as far as she was concerned, were proof of his training and made him even manlier than he already was.

"Good morning love." Ranger said as she woke finally and gave that famous smile of hers.

"Good morning love." Fighter said sleepily yet blissfully as she looked up at him.

"Someone is in a good mood." Ranger teased.

"How can I not be? I'm in bed with the most amazing man I know, and it's well-earned." Fighter said dreamily.

"Good point." Ranger said before looking at his potion bag on the floor next to the bed. "We should use that mouth-cleaner..." He then reached down to get it as Fighter sat up to give him room, and they each took a swig before spitting it in the bucket with them, then he looked at her chest again. "How did you grow a body like this?"

"We've been running around killing goblins, training to kill goblins, and a whole bunch of other things." Fighter teased.

"You know I meant the parts that _aren't_ muscles." Ranger said simply.

"My bones and my skin?" Fighter teased again.

"Fighter...that's not funny the second time." Ranger said annoyed for once and Fighter shrugged a bit.

"I guess the Love Goddess wanted to endow me enough to satisfy the man I'm with as much as possible." She said.

"Well...quest complete." Ranger said huskily as he laid her down on the bed and hovered over her, his semi-long hair hanging down and making him look like that War God she teased him about; the gods weren't a laughing matter of course, but the comparison spoke for itself; the War God is not only the deadliest fighter among the gods obviously, but also regarded as the most handsome. That is exactly how Fighter viewed him...and he knew that too. He then went down to kiss her, then she caressed his faithfully-shaven face and stroked his hair, Then the kiss became a succession of them, then he went down to suck her left nipple and caress her right leg and hip and heard the sweet sound of her pleasured gasps, then he went from her leg, then went up her abdomen which quivered and made her let off a shaky gasp, then turned into a moan as he groped her right breast and rolled the nipple between his thumb and index finger.

"How are you so good at this?" Fighter asked with her pleasure evident in her voice, even as he stopped sucking her nipple, but still treated the other with his fingers.

"Rangers tend to study physiology, which as a coincidence, can lead to...well, what you're going through right now. Now, less talking, more moaning." Ranger said before he licked her neck which made her chuckle, then hold his head there as he sucked on her neck and fondle her right breast, then he looked at her face which was completely twisted in sexual bliss, then kissed her sweetly as he wrapped both arms around her, and she held his head in place, then looked at each other with a mix of love and lust, and although they got most of the lust out of their systems, they both wanted more, so Ranger turned on his back and let her climb on top of him, and just as he was about to give her ass some love as well...a light knock was on the door.

"Son of a bitch...!" Ranger cursed under his breathe.

"Boss? The elves asked when we're leav- Oh jeez!" Warrior exclaimed as he came in and snapped his gaze away from them.

"We're going leave soon Warrior." Ranger said, still annoyed.

"May I ask when sir- Ohhh..." Wizard said as she came in too and looked away.

"Again...soon." Ranger said hearing and feeling Fighter chuckle, and seeing her bountiful breasts shake from it.

"What's wrong you two? Oh..." Priestess said as she came in, looked at them, and is somehow not embarrassed.

"Oh for fuck's sake...!" Ranger groaned which made Fighter burst out laughing at his expense.

"So...does thing mean you want to be parents soon?" Priestess asked innocently.

"No, not until this goblin mess is dealt with at least." Fighter said seriously.

"Makes sense." Priestess said "What's wrong with you two? Love is a sacred business and this is part-" Wizard cut her off.

"We don't need to know the details!" Wizard said.

"Nor are you getting any. Though it is nice of you to respect the idea of this." Ranger said seriously.

"Of course sir. Me and the other children I grew up with were taught quite a bit about nature, and you two being together is part of nature." Priestess said with a small bow.

"Yeah...part of nature." Warrior teased.

"Very funny." Fighter said.

"Could you three please let us get on with the morning?" Ranger said.

"As long as you don't get too excited." Wizard said they left one by one.

"Someone was in a sour mood." Fighter teased.

"In case you haven't noticed, squeezing your butt is my favorite part of being in bed with you-" Fighter cuts him off.

"Ohhh, I've noticed." She said with a smirk.

"But...everything except that, kissing, feeling your flesh rub against mine, and hearing those _divine_ moans come from those enchanting lips of yours? That's all for you." Ranger said which made Fighter shift to rub her body against his like he described, and he gripped her butt, which she tensed and then softened again as she moaned softly.

"You are such a _man_. Whatever girls you were with before me must've had the time of their lives." Fighter said with lust in her voice.

"Actually, you're my first." Ranger said which made Fighter raise en eyebrow "Well...I've had a thing for other girls of course, but you're the only one I've been physical with, in any way, shape, or form."

"Oh...well, the same applies to me believe it or not. Now, let's get dressed before they come back." Fighter said seriously, then the two got up against their better judgement and get their clothes. "Do you really do most of the things you do for my sake alone?

"Yes, mostly; licking your nipples for example is fairly simplistic, _but_...you moaning your lungs out because of the pleasure I am responsible for is something I'm _very_ proud of." Ranger said as he pinched her right nipple softly which made her chuckle. "But...there has to be _some_ way of doing this right." With that Fighter cupped his face.

"There is actually; I've actually looked for it in town." Fighter said which got Ranger's attention. "There's a potion that for obvious reasons, is not easy to come by, but it basically turns off someone's fertility, at least until the potion wears off." Ranger then stares at her, stunned by the information.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asked.

"Like I said, the potion's not easy to come by, but also...I can't keep you in the dark seeing as this is now getting to you." Fighter said before giving him a four-second kiss. "Things are too tense as it is..."

"Fighter..." Ranger whispered before the last drop of his lust gave way to love and he hugged her tightly. "You deserve every ounce of pleasure I can give you." She knew he was dead serious but she couldn't help but chuckle at his implication.

"I love you too." Fighter said playfully yet softly before Ranger pulled back and kissed her, then she dropped her underwear, and turned so he could see her completely naked buttocks which he gripped with both hands, and even rubbed the inside of her thighs, which made her gasp and her entire body tensed in pleasure, which he took note of, then her hips a bit before she stopped him by gripping his hands. "That's enough, now let's put our damn clothes back on." Ranger laughed at this and continued, and Fighter took a look at his left shoulder, recalled his brush with death then thought that if that was the best the goblins can do, then their defeat was only a matter of time.

"Hello sir, and..." Priestess said, not sure what to call Fighter now.

"You mean lovebirds?" Wizard teased.

"Oh put a sock in it. Wait until you get yourself a man." Fighter playfully snapped and Wizard blushed.

"Anyways, how is Goblin Slayer?" Ranger asked.

"He's being treated by the other three, but he was hit pretty hard. If it wasn't for Priestess, he'd probably be dead by now." Warrior said.

"Maybe _he's_ the one who should rest." Priestess said.

"Good luck trying to convince him of that." Wizard said.

"Let's just check on them and see what's going on." Ranger said and the team went to see him.

* * *

The nine-person team took Goblin Slayer to his home at a farm in the middle of a clearing in a forest, with the farm girl that looks like Wizard tending the cows there, then she stopped and came to greet the team.

"Good morning!" She called out.

"Hello. Ranger said as his cart approached.

"Wait, I remember you. You're one of those adventurers that Goblin Slayer was with!" Cow Girl said.

"Yep, I'm their leader actually." Ranger said and Cow Girl's eyes widened.

"Wow...so, what's all this about?" She asked.

"Goblin Slayer's hurt, badly." Ranger said somberly as the team picked up Goblin Slayer's injured body which made Cow Girl turn pale.

"Take him to the house, _now_!" She yelled as she cleared the way as Lizard Priest and Fighter helped haul GS's body to the main house and put him in bed "What happened?"

"An ogre bashed him with it's club and sent him flying into a stone pillar. If it wasn't for our Priestess, he'd probably be dead by now." Ranger said which made Cow Girl suck in a breath.

"He's not leaving this place. I'm keeping him here until further notice." Cow Girl send firmly.

"I get it. The rest of us can handle the goblins until he recovers." Ranger said.

"Thank you so much for this. I'm so glad that he's with other people instead of doing this alone; I keep telling him he shouldn't and look how that turned out!" Cow Girl said while shaking.

"You care about him that much?" Ranger asked.

"He's a _Silver Rank_! He only kills goblins and they gave him a Silver Rank for it! He saves so many people that the gods themselves probably can't keep count..." Cow Girl said as she started weeping. "And it's all because of what those little monsters did to his sister." Ranger then hugged her and let her cry on his shoulder.

"He mentioned his sister once, when I asked why he hunts goblins so vigorously. I myself started thinking about what he said, and I'm thankful that I grew up with training that was more diversified, and I think I get him." Ranger said.

"Then you are one-of-a-kind. I grew up at his side and I _still_ don't get him." Cow Girl said before pulling back and drying her tears.

"Pray you never do. Although...when I asked about you, he said you were the only family he has left." Ranger said, and Cow Girl's eyes widened at this.

"He did?" She asked before getting weepy-eyed again.

"Yes. You have a place in his heart that rivals the place that Fighter outside has in my heart." Ranger said as he looked at Fighter who was outside looking at the farmland with the others.

"Who is she?" Cow Girl asked.

"My love and life. And...if Goblin Slayer cares for you even half as much as I care for her, then you're both in good hands." Ranger said softly.

"Thank you. She's beautiful by the way." Cow Girl said while calming down.

"With kindness and strength to match. I owe her everything, and whether Goblin Slayer knows it or not, the same applies to him and you." Ranger said.

"But...I don't know if we-" Ranger cut her off.

"Even still...you're a big part of his life, and he needs you. Just stick to your promise to look after him, we'll handle the rest." Ranger said softly.

"O.k..." Cow Girl whispered as Ranger turned to leave.

"By the way...do you have any cheese?" Ranger said before he could leave.

"Yes. I'll be back..." Cow Girl said before returning with three cheese wheels.

"Thanks." Ranger said before giving the cheese to Lizard Priest.

"NECTAR!" He yelled to the sky which made the team laugh at his antics.

* * *

The Team's cart continued to roll down the road back to town, with Ranger at the reigns and Lizard Priest drooling over the cheese nibbling on one of them and supposedly waiting for a chance to melt it on some food again.

"Wasn't that farm girl something? Goblin Slayer is one lucky duck." Warrior said softly.

"That is very true." Ranger said.

"I noticed you talking to her. What did she want?" Fighter asked.

"I was just letting her know what happened, supporting her idea of letting him stay and rest while we dealt with the goblins, and consoling her when she broke down crying over his role and how serious it is." Ranger said.

"I see...so that's why you hugged her." Fighter said with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Fighter, she may be easy to look at...o.k. make that _extremely_ easy to look at, but she has a crippling problem." Ranger said.

"Which is?" Fighter asked as Ranger gave her the bright smile they give each other.

"She is not you." He said softly then Fighter gave him a quick kiss.

"So you two _are_ a thing!" High Elf Archer said.

"Yes, we've grown quite close over the last few weeks." Fighter said.

"In that case, may you two be blessed with as many eggs as your hearts desire." Lizard Priest said with reverence which made the whole team cringe a bit.

"Uh, first of all, humans don't lay eggs; we give birth to live babies." Wizard said.

"Really? I was not aware of this." Lizard Priest said honestly.

"And secondly...we're not engaged." Ranger said.

"But she _is_ your mate is she not?" Lizard Priest asked which made Ranger sigh.

"Yes, but with humans, marriage conventionally comes before having children, but even if it didn't...we're not even considering children until the goblins are dealt with." Ranger said.

"Quite responsible my good sir. At least _some_ of us know the meaning of the word, eh Long Ears?" Dwarf Shaman said.

"I'll show you the meaning of responsible when I shove you out of this cart!" H.E. Archer snapped.

"As if you could with arms as small as your chest." Dwarf Shaman said which made Fighter and Wizard go wide-eyed.

"If you weren't such a barrel of lard I could do so as easily as I pull my bow's string!" H.E. Archer snapped back.

"Oh for the love of the gods! Shut the hell up and enjoy the rest of the ride!" Wizard snapped and H.E. Archer huffed and the team stopped talking the rest of the ride into town.

* * *

After they reached town, Dwarf Shaman took a look at Warrior's retractable shield and Fighter's greaves with the retractable blades, and was kind enough to make her bracers with retractable blades; she argued that her fists were enough, but took it back after thinking about how having blades wouldn't hurt. Dwarf Shaman was also flattered to hear that Wizard's dress was sold to her by dwarves, which Dwarf Shaman confirmed was dwarven made, and Warrior's foldable shield was established to be used was elite Dwarvan soldiers. which explained why the thing was pricey as all hell, and also durable as all hell; the thing barely had a scratch on it despite taking and giving out hundreds of hits.

Ranger and Warrior's arbalests were of course Elven-made and enchanted to let the string be pulled back with the same ease as Ranger's original crossbow, which meant the two adventurers could fire at the same speed, but hit harder, and not shoot as far as High Elf Archer's bow, but still twice as far as Ranger's firstst crossbow. H.E. Archer then teased Ranger about how he no longer walks around with a toy, which made Ranger leer at her; his father didn't make it for him, but it was still kept for his sake, he only got rid of it because it wasn't as good, which hurt even though it was still necessary.

Dwarf Shaman even imbued some stone and iron into Fighter's robe, then refined and spread them out evenly to make it more durable, but also gave it some actual heft, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Ranger even gave her a minor kick to test it out, and the robe held fast. Priestess then asked for the same treatment, and Wizard got it as well, before she gave Dwarf Shaman a magic-restoring potion which he sipped to taste, then spat out thanks to it being...something to get used to, but he steeled himself, drank it again and managed to keep it down, but was assured by Wizard it works. High Elf Archer was of course trying to keep from laughing at him.

"If if helps, don't hesitate to ask for more." Dwarf Shaman said.

"This should come in quite handy dwarf." Ranger said.

"And you Fighter should work more with that new Elven bow of yours. You won't find a better on in any country." H.E. Archer said.

"I'll keep that in mind." Fighter said as the three Silver Ranks left to do their own thing as Ranger's team went into the tavern. "Any goblins about?"

"Not today no. But there's plenty of other quests available." Guild Girl said, then Ranger looked over the quest board.

"By the way, when are the next promotion exams?" Warrior asked.

"About three or four days from now, and from the looks of things, you guys are overdue for a promotion." Guild Girl said.

"Like you said, at this rate we'll be Silver Ranks in less than a year." Warrior said with a smile.

"I was exaggerating at the time, but that's still a hopeful thought." Guild Girl said.

"There's a quest that involves looking over a mine." Ranger said.

"As in, gold mine?" Wizard asked.

"It doesn't say." Ranger said as he removed the poster "But if it's something like that, we could get a shitload of money from this."

"We can't pass _that_ up." Fighter said.

"Wait...it's on the way past that monastery we looked into!" Ranger said to the team.

"Then I get to see Father Superior again!" Priestess exclaimed excitedly.

"O.k...now we're _definitely_ taking this quest." Fighter said noting Priestess' excitement.

"Alright. Good luck team." Guild Girl waving them good-bye, then the team hoped into their cart, and Wizard drank a potion that's supposed to help her vision so she wouldn't need her glasses anymore; she's been told they look cute on her, but if she lost her glasses in a fight, she was screwed. So far her potions were helping a bit each time she took them, but she still needed her glasses; she was warned that if she took too much of the potion at once, it could poison her, so doing it sparingly, while frustrating, was a must-do. But she thought she could possibly keep the glasses for their looks, and modify them so she could still see right.

* * *

The team was nearing the hill where the monastery would be in view, when it suddenly got darker. Ranger immediately guessed it was a Hellshroud at the monastery and made the horse rush forward, and not only was Ranger right...but there was a massive demon with four arms, organic-looking armor fighting the Abbot tooth and claw. Even though the Abbot was as nimble and robust as ever, the demon was able to keep up with him without trouble. When the team noticed a small swarm of imps appeared next to the cart at a distance, and Priestess used the last of her holy water on her staff and hit them with holy light with vaporized most of the swarm. Wizard did some research on demons, and found out they were extremely vulnerable to Holy Arts, which meant Priestess was their best fighter against demons.

Unfortunately they were immune to fire spells, which Wizard was disappointed in since her only offensive spell was fireball, but then she wondered if the explosion itself could hurt them, well, she found out by launching a fireball at some survivors, and the ones hits _were_ blown to bits, but the rest were just stunned, then Fighter jumped out after taking a strength potion, charged at them headlong, sent several flying as she hit them, then kicked the shit out of every imp that got near her. They were beaten, crushed, slammed into the ground, or each other, thrown away and hit their friends, had their necks and limbs broken, some even had body parts ripped off or ripped out. Sometimes Fighter sweeped her leg across several and sent them flying, and her leg and arm blades came in handy since she wound up shredding several imps without even trying.

She also killed imps in mid-air, while flipping, or twisting herself in ways a normal person couldn't. The imps were faster, stronger and tougher than goblins, but Fighter could still handle them; she kinda liked it even; she welcomed the challenge. About two minutes later, Fighter had mopped up the dozens of imps, and the Abbot was busy keeping the larger demon at bay, but he was slowing down, and the team had to step in eventually, and Priestess shined her Holy Light on it in a focuses beam, but it was still standing. Wizard then launched a fireball that hit it in the chest hard enough to knock it down, but that just made it angry and charge the team which of course scared the hell out of them, until Priestess hit it again with Holy Light, and the Abbot used his Purge spell to finally destroy it.

"Father Superior!" Priestess yelled as she rushed to embrace him.

"You could not have come a moment too soon my child. None of you could have." Abbot said.

"What was that?" Warrior asked.

"An archdemon. The demons are getting bolder; that was the fourth attack since you came here." Abbot said seriously.

"Maybe they're getting desperate." Ranger said

"Maybe indeed, but they have good reason to be. This is a monument to the Supreme God's power on Earth afterall, and I am the one in charge of it." Abbot said seriously.

"For all the good it's done..." The team looked and saw the Revenant they encountered at the cabin leaning on the wall by the door.

"You are unwelcome on this sacred ground undead." Abbot snapped.

"That's quite judgemental for a man of faith, especially since our gods are on friendly terms." Revenant sai.

"Maybe so, but we are not." Abbot said.

"What do you mean?" Priestess asked.

"None of your concern." Revenant said simply.

"On the contrary. She is an aspiring lady of faith and deserves to know." " Abbot said, then turned to her. "Revenants collect souls to be taken to Heaven to be judged by the Supreme, if the Death God himself doesn't do so first. But this Revenant here, has collected souls before they actually died."

"That's a common practice Abbot. Sometimes deaths need to be...sped up, in order for mercy to reign." Revenant said as if annoyed.

"Mercy? You've taken people from this world before they had a chance to get their lives in order!" Abbot snapped.

"When a person is near-death, their souls pulse, which is nearly irresistible to a Revenant like myself. Should I simply wait for them to die before I move on instead?" Revenant asked.

"Just because someone is near death doesn't give you the right to decide for them..." Abbot growled.

"On the contrary...it's why I'm like this." Revenant said simply, his usual apathy towards what they'd call murder making the team start to see why Abbot dislikes him.

"How long were you like this? 100 years? 200? You must remember what it's like to be alive!" Abbot said with his patience being frayed.

"I was 21 years and five and a half months old when I died, and I stopped counting the moments ever since. But to answer you, I remember quite vividly." Revenant said.

"Then give a _true_ service and stick to taking souls from those who actually die!" Abbot said which actually made Revenant pause.

"Amazing how one who clings to life so strongly fails to see how quickly it can lose it's worth." Revenant said.

"Enough of this. Leave and do not return." Abbot snapped.

"Should someone die here-" Abbot cut the Revenant off.

"Then the Death God will take their souls personally! Now go!" Abbot yelled, and with that, the Revenant walked off into the forest where they first saw the monks come with the Champion's Armor.

"Well...nice of him to drop by." Wizard said dryly which got a few laughs from the team.

"Um, Father Superior? May I have more Holy Water?" Priestess asked.

"Used it to save many lives did you? Of course you may my child. Come in." Abbot said as he put his hands on her face, then he led the team inside and replaced Priestess' vial of holy water, with a full one. "I couldn't help but notice you used three miracles on those imps, and the archdemon. I'm glad you did, but aren't you worried that you'll need more later on?"

"I can use five miracles now Father Superior." Priestess said

"Ah, you've improved! And I can tell the rest of you have as well, what with three of you having new armor, and your Wizard friend looking like an archmage herself." Abbot said.

"I actually got this on my birthday a few days ago. The staff is my own magic's work thanks to that book you gave me." Wizard said.

"Well happy belated birthday child." Abbot said.

"Thank you Father." Wizard said.

"May I ask how you became abbot Father?" Ranger asked.

"Well...I wasn't always a man of faith. I was once a simple acolyte who came from a family that, quite honestly, was broken beyond repair. But as the years passed, and my holy arts grew, I became a paladin for the Brotherhood of the Supreme, purging demons and blessing as many people as I could. Eventually, I was part of a group that was tasked with defeating the undead armies under the command of the Evil Sect, and...I became Gold Ranked after their defeat, and then became abbot of the very monastery I saved. The people in my original group found me after the battle, nursed me back to health, and the brothers named me abbot of this monastery; most of them are still with me." Abbot said.

"That's an incredible story Father Superior!" Priestess exclaimed.

"Is the fact that the Revenant is undead effecting your opinion of him?" Fighter asked.

"No. He is not of the Evil Sect, nor has he ever been, and despite what he'd tell you, my status as an abbot is not an excuse to condemn people for their nature." Abbot said firmly.

"Admirable. Should we worry about demon attacks after helping you?" Ranger asked.

"No, they should not bother you, but even if they did, you have the perfect anti-demon weapon right there. Not three feet from you." Abbot said as he pointed at Priestess.

"Good point Father. If any do attack us, they'll pretty much sign their own death warrants." Warrior said.

"Don't get cocky. I may have made them look weak, but I have this necklace." Fighter said.

"You fought those imps!?" Abbot said in awe, which made Fighter nod. "For an Obsidian Rank, that's impressive, even with that necklace."

"The Guild Girl said we were overdue for a promotion actually." Fighter said.

"My dear, it shows. Now, I doubt you came here to chat with an old priest." Abbot said.

"No Father, we're on a quest to guard a mine." Ranger said.

"Then waste no more time." Abbot said as the team left. "Also...may the Supreme watch over your quests, and as for you two...may your bonds carry you as well." It was clear he knew about Fighter and Ranger's love life, or at least knew it existed.

* * *

About a hour later, the team made it to the mine, which was about 50ft deep at wide, and more than 1.5 times as deep with side caves galore; the place wasn't being mined, it was being turned inside out!

In the cart, Wizard took a look at her and Priestess' dressed and Fighter's robe, and used her Transmute spell to increase their flexibility, but couldn't help the durability. Fighter probably could've crushed those imps faster if her robe's original job wasn't slowing her down.

Anyway, the place had hundreds of people, humans, elves, dwarves, rheas, even hybrids, and according to the supervisor, they were looking for anything archeological, and if there were any treasures in the area, then they were up for grabs. And over the next couple of hours, the team patrolled the area, but Wizard realized that some workers were too distracted by her colorful and sparkly dress so she went up a tower so they would work instead of either staring at her for too long and maybe hurting themselves, or even imagine her undressed. Perfect way to test her Levitate spell to climb the ladder which was slow as hell, but still worth testing.

Fighter had a similar issue; some workers actually blew kisses at her, then she picked up a boulder faster than they could see, then casually tossed it about 10ft away in a direction she knew no one was in, which scared the shit out of everyone in the area, even the ones who didn't get horny; a woman that strong is one that a man should not to get too frisky around if he valued his safety. Priestess was with the two guys, and no one stared at her even though she was cute; she was probably too skinny for their liking. Yes she had two men with her that looked like they meant business, but still, a pretty girl is a pretty girl.

The only real problems they encountered were solved the moment the adventurers reared their heads; to the average person, the five of them were an impressive sight, and Fighter's display of strength made her the most intimidating by default. Even if they didn't know her martial arts prowess...or that she had a lover already, her strength could still be used to rip a grown man apart. So far this was the most boring quest the team ever did, excluding the demon fight from earlier.

Wizard was actually about to fall asleep when a roar was heard in the distance which got her attention, then her heart sank...

"DRAGON!" Her yell echoed throughout the mine and everyone ran into the nearest cave, as lo and behold, a dragon with blood red scales flew overhead, and she jumped off the tower, using her Levitate spell on-the-fly, trusting herself to do it out of desperation, and her fall was enough to be felt, but she was still able to rush to her teammates, then used Life Sight to see the dragon.

"What's it doing?" Fighter whispered.

"It's just circling so far. I think it's looking for something." Wizard said as the dragon then roared and the flapping of it's wings got quieter. "It's flying away."

"There's no way it's not going to be back. We'll have to go after it..." Ranger said.

"Are you nuts?! It took a trump card to kill those demons. We have no anti-dragon weapons of any sort!" Wizard said.

"We have equipment that lets use face entire hordes of goblins, and even an ogre toe-to-toe, if we do this right, that dragon will go down just as easily." Ranger said.

"If you get rid of that dragon, I'll make sure to reward you handsomely." The supervisor said.

"Then we're off." Warrior said.

"Wizard, do you still have that gateway scroll you salvaged?" Ranger asked.

"You mean this?" Wizard asked as she pulled it out of her bag. "Wait, what are you planning?"

"Tie it to this place somewhere. If that dragon comes back, or if this mine needs us urgently, we'll just teleport back here." Ranger said.

"O.k...I'll try." Wizard said as she looked for a place to set it up, then she focused on the gate rune, then a purple copy of the mark appeared in her hand, then she placed it on the ground until the glow stopped "That should do it."

"Are you sure?" Fighter said.

"I'm a wizard, not a goddess. If this thing works, it'll at least carry us most of the way back." Wizard said dryly.

"As long as it doesn't rip us apart." Warrior said.

"Just shut up and get ready to go kill a dragon like you've always wanted!" Wizard snapped.

"Yeah...I can't believe we're going to kill a dragon, after helping kill some demons." Warrior said in awe.

"We're going to help...but _you_ are going to fight it." Ranger said.

"Wait, what?" Warrior asked.

* * *

The team went in the direction Wizard saw the dragon fly, and about five minutes later, they found it in a small clearing that it used as a nest, and it apparently was guarding some eggs.

"How much do you think we'll get paid for those eggs?" Fighter asked.

"Who knows? Sometimes they go for 100 gold a pop, sometimes five times that." Wizard said.

"So...I'm going in there, _alone_, to get it's attention while you guys sit here on your asses and take pot shots at it?" Warrior asked in astonishment.

"That's correct. Now get down there and be a hero!" Fighter said dryly, then dramatically.

"You are so supportive..." Warrior sighed before he toughened himself up, and began sneaking down to the nest.

"Wizard, use your Paralysis spell on it's wings." Ranger said.

"I haven't mastered it yet." Wizard said.

"Then use it on one wing; we can't let it fly away, or worse attack us from above, even with Protection on our side." Ranger said.

"Alright..." Wizard said then charged up a green energy ball, and launched it at the dragon's wings, hitting the right one, and it roars in surprise and anger, which turns into terror when it tries flying and can't use it's right wing, and Warrior takes advantage of it's flustered state of mind, and bashed it's face with his hammer, as Fighter and Ranger took shots at it's head, with Fighter's arrows and Ranger's bolts piercing it but just barely; dragon skin was notoriously tough. The Dragon noticed the shooters, spewed fire in their direction, which Priestess stopped with Protection, and Wizard tried to use her Reflect spell through the barrier to use the dragon's own fire against it. It didn't work, but she knew what went wrong and noted to take steps to work around it. Warrior meanwhile, looked around for a weak spot, but didn't dare hit it while it was breathing fire, lest the fire come out of it's body somehow.

"There it is..." He said to himself then pulled his sword and jammed it under it's underbelly at the base of it's neck, then pulled the sword out right away, and the dragon roared and spewed fire everywhere, and Warrior took cover under it's body, stabbed it over and over, then jumped out before the dragon could collapse on top of him, then Warrior climbed on top of it's head and jammed the sword into the back of it's neck, and it dropped dead right away, then Warrior yelled to the sky in victory. "I am never cleaning this blade again!"

"You're going to have to eventually. Although...give it to me." Wizard said, Warrior then gave his sword to Wizard, who used her Transmute spell on it and the sword started to burn, then the fire gets absorbed back into the blade. "There. Now it should be as powerful as that dragon you killed. At least relative to it's size..." Before she even finished talking Warrior went to a nearby tree, and sliced in half, making the tree fall down. "O.k...it's official, dragon blood is no joke..."

"I...am...un...STOPPABLE!" Warrior yelled, then he rushed over to hug Wizard. "And you are...well, you're not a goddess but you might as well be!"

"O.k. o.k. great and mighty dragon slayer." Wizard said as she lightly pushed him off her "Wait...hey boss-" Ranger went to dip his swords in the dragon's blood as well. "O.k. then." She used Transmute on his two swords and well, and he sliced a nearby boulder into seven pieces. "O.k. this is getting ridiculous." She then dipped the spearhead on the bottom of her staff and used Transmute on it, and she stabbed into a rock piece which shattered. "Now...let's get out of here before we get too crazy." She then opened the gateway scroll, and they teleported back to the mine.

"Mission accomplished." She said, then the miners swarmed the team yelling in praise, and the supervisor presented a chest full of gold when it was over.

* * *

"Hey Guild Girl! What has two thumbs and just fulfilled his dream of killing a dragon? _This_ guy!" Warrior yelled as he barged in ahead of his team while pointing to himself with both thumbs.

"You WHAT? That must've been some guard job!" Guild Girl said in astonishment.

"We also dipped our weapons in it's blood, and Wizard used Transmute to make our weapons so much stronger it's unreal, and we got a shitload of money from the miners' boss." Warrior said.

"Talk about a struck of luck. I almost feel like your pay is too much." Guild Girl said before handing it over.

"Thank you very much, and good night." Warrior said taking the bag of silver.

"Good night team." Guild Girl said as they dropped off their coin at the bank, and went home, turned in for the night, and Ranger joined Fighter in her room; there was no point having his own room with how many times they slept together, and this was no exception

"Who said you could join me?" Fighter teased.

"_I_ did." Ranger said as he grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. "I _am_ the boss right?"

"I could overrule your leadership again." Fighter said lustfully.

"Not this time sweetheart." Ranger said before passionately kissing her, undoing her robe as she removed his armor, then they went for each other's underclothes and pants, then he pushed her unto her own bed, and stood there watching her look at his underwear which hid his aroused manhood, which he slowly revealed for the first time and Fighter sucked in a trembling breath; his manhood was something to behold; it was about six inches long and about one and a half inches thick. She was going to have that shoved into her someday; it was both daunting and exciting at the same time.

"Holy..." Fighter said as she looked it over.

"And it'll be all yours, after we get that potion." Ranger said.

"May I?" Fighter asked as she reached for it, to which he motioned to it with his hand before she ran her hand along the length, until she reached the head and back down. It was like a piece of stone wrapped in rubber. He gasped himself as she gently stroked him a bit.

"It...kinda tickles." Ranger said before she did it some more. "Stop, I don't you to keep going and make a mess."

"Right." Fighter said as she laid down properly under the covers, then Ranger slid in and the couple went to sleep in each other's arms.

* * *

**Whew. First a demon invasion gets crushed, then a dragon slaying adventure. Doom Guy and the Dragonborn from Skyrim would be proud. Too bad Warrior isn't Dragonborn himself eh? Anyways, his dream to kill a dragon, which is canon by the way, came true finally. Now...Goblin Slayer is compared to Doom Guy quite often so the reference is kinda fitting, although...I'm pretty sure Fighter was Doom Guy's wet dream for those 2 minutes she was creaming demons in ways he would himself. Also...I couldn't help but notice that me referencing previous chapters is sort of a running theme...oh well. And FYI...the Abbot is kind of a hard-knocks lesson in what the Team could potentially be; he's a former Gold Rank for crying out loud, and the Hero, the girl who pretty much nuked the place in episode 6...is Platinum Ranked...talk about perspective. Anyway...Valentine's Day is fast approaching, who knows what those 2 lovebird's will have in mind for each other; I was hoping to finish this story on that day but...thick chance. Anyway, please remember to Rate, Review, and Share and stay tuned.**


	9. Chapter 5

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. This one will involve our favorite walking, talking, dead guy: The Revenant. Also...I swear, the song "O Death" from Supernatural comes to mind whenever I'm writing for this guy. He acts, and I think should sound like Death from that show, but he doesn't look the same, not by any means. Anyway, let's see what his deal is...**

**Review response: Yeah, Revenants aren't very popular, I mean...look at his introduction; Ranger and company hunted goblins like GS himself does, they had several close calls and came out even stronger, and they were still shitting their pants thanks to this guy, and even though the Revenants do a noble job, it's also a pretty damn dirty one. ******Now, I'm pretty sure I made it clear that he's neither good nor evil; yes he killed a heap of goblins, but that's because they were in his way, and yes he helps people reach the afterlife, but he's also willing to kill people just to save some trouble.****

****That contraceptive potion was talked about; Fighter said with her own mouth that she didn't talk about it before for a reason, so...wtf.****

**As for Cow Girl? If you ask me, she's the single sexiest woman in Goblin Slayer, and even if she wasn't...Goblin Slayer deserves to be with her. Now...yes Sword Maiden is as majestic as they come, but she's just not my type, and no I'm not judging her because she's not "pure" thanks to goblins. Don't even start shoveling that steaming pile of pigshit. Sorry for being cynical, but I doubt I need to explain myself there. As for Warrior killing a dragon? Come on...that was a shoo-in... Now...it would be fairly interesting to see the Abbot and Revenant fight; the Abbot is a freaking powerhouse with the blessing and powers of the Supreme God on his side, and the Revenant is an unkillable soul harvester. Who would win?**

**Also...I have good news everyone: Goblin Slayer himself will take much more screentime in the future. Yes there will still be parts where he's not there, but remember: This isn't about him, but Warrior, Wizard, and especially Fighter in the end, but nevertheless, Goblin Slayer will be nearly omnipresent from the next chapter onward.  
**

* * *

**Also...I REALLY should've seen the backlash coming; things have been really good so far, and now the universe is trying to balance itself out...jeez this really IS a Land of Confusion, as the song by Genesis and covered by Disturbed goes...  
**

* * *

Galloping sounds from a white horse that is losing what little color it has approached the guild tavern, and it's rider left it on the side and he walked down the street towards it. As he passed one of the shops, a man comes out, and bumped into him, but the rider paid no mind and walked onward.

"Hey!" the man who bumped into him yelled. "Hey! You have something to say to me?" The rider kept going "Look pal, I got stood up by a smoking hot martial arts girl, and treated one of my friends who got his hands busted, I am not in the mood for your bulls-" The rider grabbed the man's stomach and partially removed his soul.

"I have no interest in your history living one, I am here on a mission of my own, one that is worth far more than you. Now I suggest you leave before what few decades of possible life you have go to waste." The rider said, then let go of their soul and they collapsed shivering like they were suffering from hypothermia, and the rider kept walking while some people went to check on the man.

* * *

"Weapons are tricky...if you use one that's not a good match. You could get into all sorts of trouble. Yes?" Witch said to the Apprentice Cleric and Rookie Warrior she talked to with Ranger and the team, then the rider from before entered the tavern. "Ah, now there's a face I haven't seen in years. That Revenant."

"You know that guy?" Spearman, Witch's partner and crush asked.

"Oh yes. Walking dead man helped me with outlaws. Sent their souls to the Reaper. Reaper sent them to heaven. That whole sordid affair." Witch said.

"Correct, and I'd recognize that powerful soul of yours anywhere." Revenant said.

"So my favorite dead man, how can I help you?" Witch asked.

"I am here because I thought I could get directions towards the ones who left so many dead goblins in their wake; I've been harvesting far more souls than normal and the Death God has his hands full more than he should." Revenant said.

"You can thank the Demon Lord for that. The goblins and demons are more closely connected than anyone thought." Witch said.

"Of course." Revenant said.

"O.k. what are you two going on about?" Rookie Warrior asked.

"Ask your cleric friend." Revenant said.

"I'm only an apprentice cleric! I don't know about any demon lords!" She bellowed.

"A tragedy really. He's the enemy of all who inhabit this world, and the next." Revenant said.

"Although...this could be your lucky day you two." Witch said as she fished a purple candle out from between her breasts. "This candle can guide you to what you want most. And our undead friend could be your guide."

"No. I came for information, and I see I'm wasting my time." Revenant said as he then turned to leave.

"Wait! Please mister...Revenant, dead man, sir. This is important to us. We really need some help getting my sword back." Rookie Warrior said.

"Why is it important at all?" Revenant asked.

"Because we want to become full-fledged adventurers and we can't do that without completing this quest!" Apprentice Cleric said,

"Please, you two would struggle against a lone goblin. Whatever this quest is, it should be given to someone more competent." Revenant said,

"Hey! You _must've_ been alive at some point; you have to care about us at least _somewhat_!" Apprentice Cleric said.

"You know, I really don't, but this is why I usually stay away from living souls." Revenant said.

"And thanks the gods for it." Apprentice Cleric said under her breathe; this man was impossible!

"Now now. There's no need to get personal. Maybe he'd help you if promised to spread the word about how revenants are to be avoided thanks to their sacred deed?" Witch asked.

"That's insane!" Rookie Warrior said.

"I suppose it could work. As long as it helps speed my task." Revenant said.

"There we go. I knew you kids could learn to play nice." Witch said.

"Well...I do need my sword back, so...welcome aboard." Rookie Warrior said.

"I'm not joining you, I'm simply giving you a reason to follow that promise. Now, lead the way." Revenant snapped, and with that, the three left the tavern.

"Sheesh, that guy's an asshole. Why are you even interested in him?" Spearman asked.

"Simple: his kind do one of the best deeds of all. Besides, if he was an adventurer...he would probably be Platinum Ranked." Witch said...then Spearman spat out his beer to the side.

* * *

Ranger and company had no goblin slaying quests over the next two days, but the Team decided to wait until the promotion exams to go anything substantial; there weren't any other good quests out anyway, not ones that weren't already taken anyway. So the team decided to get back into training...

Wizard tried to use Reflect through Priestess' Protection miracles again, and tried to on Warrior's hammer as it was thrown, but it took more than seven tries, and a few breaks to get it to work, and even then, the hammer didn't go back fast enough to hit Warrior, which he prepared for by keeping his shield unfolded and raised. Eventually Wizard gave up and took a time-out to get her act together before she threw a fit.

Meanwhile, Ranger was trying his hand at a fight with Heavy Warrior. He was a complete _beast_ of a man, but even then, Ranger wondered how he was able to carry a sword that's almost as big as he was, until Heavy Warrior mentioned his enchanted ring, bracer, and gloves that increase his strength, not to mention his strength-boosting potions, which Wizard made a note about, and even had the idea of mixing healing, stamina and strength potions into one; she would call them life potions, at least until she came up with something better.

"I heard those swords are infused with dragon's blood. That's hardcore stuff." Heavy Warrior said as he blocked one strike after another from Ranger.

"I have my Warrior and Wizard comrades to thank. He killed the dragon, Wizard used her magic on the blood!" Ranger said as he kept attacking. Ranger was getting nowhere with direct attacks, so he tried slipping under Heavy Warrior's defenses...but it didn't work; the man was Silver Ranked for a reason. He's only agreeing to duel Ranger to show the lesser ranks how it was done, and to maybe give Ranger, a Steel Rank, a crash course in playing with the biggest of the big dogs.

"Aren't you going to join them?" Fighter asked the Female Knight next to her.

"Not yet. That big brute should get as much of a workout as he can before the real fight begins." Female Knight said.

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure that it hasn't..." Fighter said knowingly before Ranger actually ran up the length of Heavy Warrior's blade, jumped over his head, then put his sword at a chink in Heavy Warrior's armor. "See?"

"Looks like I win." Ranger said, proud that he beat a Silver Rank.

"Not bad, but you're still too _light_!" ." Heavy Warrior yelled before he snapped around, grabbed Ranger by the face and tossed him across the field, only for Ranger to catch his footing after rolling a few times. "You're not much without your team are you? That's going to cost you if you're not careful." He then turned to see the Female Knight standing up and heading towards him.

"Don't you think that was a bit too much? He's not only smaller than you, but also Steel Ranked." " She said sharply, then braced for a fight. "You need to learn some manners!" She then charged him.

"No! Wait!" Heavy Warrior yelled but the Knight was already on him trying to push him down, but his footing held firm, then he pushed her off him and swung his greatsword only for it to bounce off Knight's shield as if the sword was made of wood.

The team then watched their evenly-matched fight to study their moves, especially Ranger who was still interested in learning new ways to improve himself and his team however possible. He wanted them to get as high a rank as possible, not only for the power and glory, but to make sure they deserve it, and the best way to do that, by default, is by crushing more goblins, demons, apparently dragons, and later on, who knows?

* * *

On the third day, the time came for the team to be promoted, and it was a complete shoo-in...

Ranger was promoted to Sapphire right away for offering to help other survivors, even though they didn't need it, and his gear, continued display of good leadership, and help against the ogre led him to become Emerald Ranked.

Warrior's case was arguably better; him killing a dragon almost single-handedly landed him a Steel Rank, then his new dragon blood sword and improved crossbow skills gave him a Sapphire Rank. Helping defeat an ogre was overkill; that plus his "leftover brownie points" for killing the dragon landed him right next to his boss at Emerald Rank, especially since his dragon blood sword was given to him _after_ fighting the ogre, which made it harder.

Fighter and Priestess were each given a Steel Rank for helping against the ogre, they also got their Sapphire Ranks from fighting the demon army obviously, but their Emerald came from their help around the community, with Fighter sorting out troublemakers, and Priestess helping the girls at the temple, despite how heart-crushing it was, on top of Fighter learning new tricks and Priestess being able to use more and better miracles.

Wizard's Steel Rank was joked about as being a later birthday gift, but it was really for also helping with the ogre, especially since she landed a solid with the fireball; Warrior even recalled her "sick burn" about the ogre's fireball being stronger, but Wizard's still did better, which made Guild Girl and Inspector crack up, and Guild Girl jokingly called for a bag of ice for both Wizard _and_ the ogre. With the laughs finally out of the way, Wizard's new gear, especially her now-metal staff, and her magical prowess increase gave her a Sapphire Rank, and her contribution to the guild by giving away her potions for little to no money in return, landed her an Emerald Rank of their own.

When it was over, the team celebrated by feasting, drinking, and recalling their feats, then they toured the town; they were far too busy to give the town a proper look, and it took most of the day to do so, which wasn't entirely necessary or even interesting for the most part, but it was still worth doing. Then the team checked into their rooms for the night.

Fighter finally got her hands on that sterility potion she mentioned, she and Ranger thought about finishing their celebration by giving each other their virginity, but for starters...the potion took too long to take effect. She was told that either she or Ranger would need to wait at least an hour for the effects to kick in, and they must take no more than a shot glass worth of it, otherwise, they'd risk the effects becoming irreversible, and they _did_ want children of their own eventually. Another reason was that even though the effects lasted 24 hours from when the time the effects kicked in, they had to time the drink itself according to their plans, and who knew how their plans would change. The final and most immediate problem, was that it was nearly midnight and they were not willing to wait an hour until they could shag, and even then there was still a risk their timing would be off. Besides, Ranger knew that losing your virginity had a chance to be painful, and he wasn't ready to risk hurting her, but still promised to make it as worth it as possible when it finally happened, so he and Fighter losing so the two simply slept together naked again, kissing, caressing, and groping each other a few times.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric led the Revenant, who was outright spooking them with his presence alone in the usual way, down into the sewers where R.W. lost his sword killing a rat, and he got his hands on a club just to have something to fight with.

"Why don't you have any weapon?" R.W. asked.

"I do, I just hide it. Now where is that candle pointing us?" Revenant asked.

"This way." A.C. said as they went down a tunnel, then another, until they found some giant rats eating the body of another that has R.W.'s sword stuck in it.

"How civilized." Revenant said bluntly before moving towards them.

"Are you nuts? Those things will tear you apart!"R.W. yelled, he then noticed some sort of liquid metal come out of Revenant's sleeves, and forms a one-handed scythe in each hand.

"Not if I tear them apart first..." Revenant then plunged his scythes into two of the rats' heads, then grabbed the sword, tossed it back to R.W. Then he tore his scythes out of their skulls ripping their heads open. "Now go."

"Wait, aren't you going to take their souls or whatever you do?" A.C. asked.

"Animals are not my department. That is the Earth Mother's doing." Revenant said, then a pack of giant beetles appeared, and Revenant gave off a bright green aura that resembled a raging fire, and the beetles freaked out from the light and Revenant craved through them as well with his scythes so quickly neither of his living teammates could track his movements, which made the two Porcelain Ranks drop their jaws down to the floor and their eyebrows hit the ceiling.

"How did you _do_ that?!" R.W. yelled.

"The Death God grants us revenants a portion of his power in exchange for the souls we harvest. Now take your sword and leave me to see what souls wander his place." Revenant said as his scythes liquefied and went back into his sleeves.

* * *

The next day, the team came back to the tavern, to find Goblin Slayer back in action, which made Priestess rush to catch him.

"Goblin Slayer!" She yelled which made GS turn to her and the team.

"I'm running into everyone today." GS said with annoyance then noticed her green tag. "So, you're Emerald Ranked now?"

"That's right! We all are! That ogre we fought helped quite a bit, but with everything else we did, it was cake." Priestess said with excitement.

"I see. Congratulations all of you." GS said genuinely

"We have you to thank for it all." Priestess said.

"I didn't do anything." GS said.

"Are you kidding? You not only showed us how it's done when it comes to slaying goblins, but inspired us to do the same thing and...if we didn't, we would've had an even harder time than we did." Warrior said.

"I see. You still had some close calls." GS said.

"Like with Ranger's shoulder being stabbed. Sorry for reminding you sir." Priestess said.

"No need. I'm over that now." Ranger said.

"Anyway, I've got to let Mother Superior know about this at the temple." Priestess said.

"Go ahead. We're not going anywhere without you." Ranger said.

"Thank you sir." Priestess said with a bow before taking off.

"Are you alright Goblin Slayer?" Wizard asked.

"Yes." GS said.

"If you feel anything wrong, let us know alright?" Wizard said seriously.

"I will." GS said as the team sat down to talk, and then the Apprentice Cleric and Rookie Warrior returned with their sword and a club, got their pay, and said the Revenant told them to leave him behind, then the two went to sit down and relax.

"What do you mean the observer can't come?" Guild Girl asked Inspector.

"I guess there was an incident on a quest. Do you know someone else who can do it?" Inspector asked Guild Girl then looked at Ranger, then Goblin Slayer; her choice was obvious.

"Actually...I might. Goblin Slayer!" Guild Girl said as GS was getting ready to leave.

"Are there goblins?" GS asked.

"Not today, but I was just- No! Wait! Please don't leave!" Guild Girl said as GS opened the door.

"But...you said there were no goblins." GS said.

"Yes, that's true, and I know they're your specialty you know, but...does absolutely everything have to involve...goblins?" Guild Girl said somberly to which GS sighed and closed the door.

"Keep it short." GS said impatiently, then Guild Girl perked up.

"I will. You see, I found myself a bit understaffed; I was hoping you might fill in for an observer who can't make it today?" Guild Girl asked.

"An observer? For a promotion exam?" GS asked as he took a paper.

"And Ranger? Could come as well?" Guild Girl asked.

"Two observers? Overkill much?" Inspector asked astonished.

"Hey, two observers will make this go much smoother. I've looked over this guy's paperwork and...it's alittle shady." Guild Girl said.

"Why not?." Ranger said as the four went upstairs to the main office.

* * *

"Alright then, if you're ready, we will now begin the promotion exam." Guild Girl said to the applicant: A Rhea Scout who had some _suspiciously_ good gear.

"Yeah! I'm _absolutely_ ready!I say we skip past Sapphire and Emerald and go right to Ruby. No scratch that. Just go straight to Bronze!" Rhea Scout said clearly excited, his ambition, while endearing was alittle forced

"You will be promoted to what you've earned. Me and my team became Emerald Rank in less than a month by improving ourselves as much as possible, and by helping whomever we can, however we can." Ranger said.

"Which is exactly how this is supposed to work. The leather armor and boots you're wearing, those are new right?" Guild Girl asked as she went through some papers.

"Yep, they sure are. Did you notice the _quality_ of the boots? Not only are they well-made, I had them altered to fit me _perfectly_." Rhea Scout said.

"I find it interesting that you're so much better off than your peers, considering that the same quests are available to everyone..." Guild Girl said suspiciously.

"Oh. No wait! I can explain! It's just...I um, I was running kinda low on funds, so I had my family send me some money. That's all." Rhea Scout said nervously.

"A lie..." the Inspector said which alarmed the Rhea "On the name of the Supreme God I swear, what this man uttered was false; a lie." Ranger didn't even have Sense Lie and he could tell something was fishy, and from the look on the Rhea's face, something _was_.

"Apparently, you just acquired new gear on a raid at the ruins? Ah, I think I understand what happened. While the others thought you were scouting, you found a treasure chest which you kept yourself until you could sell the contents." Guild Girl said and Ranger groaned a bit hearing this; he would stick both hands in a furnace before cheating his teammates out of something that could potentially save their lives.

"No. Please. It's not as bad as it looks, I swear! I'm sorry!" Rhea Scout said while bowing.

"Absolutely unacceptable. This sort of thing is exactly what's led to the widespread prejudice against other Rheas and scouts. But, since this is your 1st offense, demoting you to Porcelain and banning you from questing in this town should be sufficient." Guild Girl said firmly.

"Whoa! Hold on a second! That's ridiculous. You're not seriously going to kick me out just because I kept one little treasure chest to myself are you?" Rhea Scout asked as he stood up straight, then Guild Girl looked at him funny.

"Are you some sort of imbecile?! An adventurer who would betray the trust of his party doesn't deserve the title. You are hereby demoted to Porcelain on the grounds of falsifying a reward. You won't be removed from town, but you may no longer work here." Guild Girl snapped.

"Don't go getting any foolish ideas." Inspector said sharply as she raised her scale.

"Hey Goblin Slayer, don't let them do this to me. You've been out on quests; you know what it's like." Rhea Scout said to GS who just sat there with his arms crossed

"Me? I'm just here to observe. Nothing more, and nothing less." GS said plainly.

"But, you're one of us...you're an adventurer too." Rhea Scout said nervously.

"Yes...just like the people you tricked and stole from." GS said aggressively.

"Ranger please! You've been helping people like crazy! You can't let this happen..." Rhea Scout said desperately.

"Who are you to lecture me on what I should or shouldn't let happen? And for the record, I only help people when they deserved it; I have half a mind to rip those tags you're disgracing off your neck myself." Ranger said sternly.

"DAMN IT!" Rhea Scout yelled, then he reached for his dagger in a fit of rage, but his rage turned to fear before he grabbed it, then he looked at Goblin Slayer and Ranger, the former of which just sat there cross-armed and Ranger looked like he wanted to slather the Rhea in tar and set him on fire. Then the Rhea charged out the door still fuming. "You'll regret this!"

"That isn't likely..." Guild Girl said cheerfully which amused Ranger, afterwards, Guild Girl told them how much safer she felt having two hard-as-nails adventurers acting as observers, and how she dealt with men who kept harassing her in the capital on her own; Ranger was amazed she wasn't sexually assaulted, but there's _no way_ he'd tell her that.

"I'd like to go." GS said simply.

"Oh, course! If you two would go to the front desk they should give you your compensation." Guild Girl said and the two left to each get paid 50 silver coins. Then GS was approached by a messenger to get a special delivery, which summoned GS to the Temple of Law, home of the Sword Maiden...

* * *

**Well...the team is finally middle-ranked, the Revenant flashed his colors, and soon the team will finally meet the one and only Sword Maiden. Who knows how the team will react to Her Grace. Anyway, that little war in the reviews, and the unexpected shock of the backlash about the romance between Ranger and Fighter exhausted the hell out of me...thank you all for your support...I'll even thank the haters because like it or not your feedback is helping me improve my writing and hopefully decrease the hate I get, and...please...this is just a fanfiction! This is a fanfiction that talks about an alternate version of the original, and there are plenty of cases where the differences are highlighted, and the flaws are part of the madness' methods. PLEASE don't take this more seriously than it needs to be. If you don't want to read it, I can't and won't force you. Now for you that can look past the shadows, you should be proud for conquering the corruption and reaping whatever harvest you got. But for those that can't, like Lubed Justice...I'm sorry I made you feel that way, and I hope you can forgive me, if not now, then eventually. Now...as usual, please remember to Rate, Review and Share, and stay tuned. **


	10. Chapter 6

**Happy Valentine's day people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. My Valentine's Day gift to all of you reading this is the fact that Goblin Slayer himself is now a permanent member of the team. Now...if you recall he WAS on the team off-screen, but you're right to be pissed about him not having enough screentime, well, being the honest and compassionate man that I've hopefully proven myself to be, his screentime is officially through-the-roof, especially since there will be PLENTY of goblins heads for him to crush, cut off, or both in the next chapters. Like I said, this is about the team, not Goblin Slayer, and the show already covers Goblin Slayer's part in this, which, as the ripped-from-the-show dialogue should prove, is in-fact, part of this fanfic, even though it's off-screen. I did this for the sake of not being redundant, like I truthfully said. Now please...leave me alone about Goblin Slayer not being there.  
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**Review response: I'm not offended by any of the backlash, but it caught me COMPLETELY off-guard; as valid as my desire to make something of Warrior, Wizard, and especially Fighter is, I NEVER thought of the consequences, or knew what they could've been, and it scared the living shit out of me. When I 1st read about the backlash I was no "Oh my God, what have I done? This is the complete opposite of what I wanted to happen!" But I'm relieved to have cleared the air at least somewhat, especially since apparently some minds were changed. What really baffles me is that...people are complaining about things I ALREADY COVERED, like how the parts of the main series that don't involve my main OC would happen...what I meant was that Goblin Slayer wasn't going to be part of the whole thing, and some people telling me that it's kind of refreshing to not have GS be focused on, misled me to think that it wasn't going to be an issue, but now that I know better, I'm going to take steps to make it up to people that are willing to give me a chance.  
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**As for that back-and-forth in the reviews? O.k... I guess I'll take "enabling the laughs" it got as an accomplishment...strange as it is.  
**

**Also...just a head's up, since this is Valentine's Day, the Day of Love, Ranger and Fighter will get a chunk of "special screentime" for themselves, so...you've been warned; I don't want to see anyone else throwing a fit over something that does not exist outside of this fanfic, got it? Then on with the show.**

* * *

That night, the team spent a chunk of time waiting for Goblin Slayer to get his stuff together so they could go to Water Town to meet the Sword Maiden for this goblin slaying quest of what is assumed to be epic proportions; a direct request from the Sword Maiden is never something to take lightly, even if it didn't involve putting down goblins. While they waited, they heard the others talk about how the Hero and her two companions saved a woman from being sacrificed by the Evil Sect, then wiped them out with her holy sword. Apparently she was on her way to becoming Platinum Ranked, which surprised no one, especially Ranger; he was still hung-up on how Abbot was a demon-slaying professional, as well as a Gold Rank, something he earned from destroying an entire army of undead by himself. Granted the team was now Emerald Ranked and their progress was staggering, but they still had many miles to walk before they could even keep up with either Abbot or Hero, let alone surpass them. He didn't even want to think about what the Sword Maiden could do; was she as strong as Abbot, or even stronger?

Eventually, Goblin Slayer showed up, and High Elf Archer sprung at the chance to greet him.

"Orcbolg! The Hero's quest was a success!" She said excitedly.

"That doesn't matter." GS said with annoyance; that single-minded approach to life was amazing even to Ranger who put himself in GS' shoes more than once. "It's time to slay some goblins. The location is Water Town. The reward is one bag of gold each. It's up to you if you want to come or not."

"That's a question? Of course we're coming." Warrior said.

"Hold up. Are you serious Orcbolg?" H.E. Archer asked.

"This is something I've already suspected for a while, but now I'm _completely_ convinced. You're going to drive me crazy if you keep surprising me with every move you make. So..." " Priestess said as she looked right at GS while she stood up to him...literally "Listen up. We've been over this before: It's not a discussion unless everyone involved has a say."

"But I _am_ giving you a say." GS said simply.

"No you're not! Whatever we choose, the outcome's the same!" Priestess snapped and GS groaned.

"If we decide not to go with you, you'd go by yourself right?" High Elf Archer asked

"Of course." GS said

"Hmm, so she's right. This isn't a discussion." H.E. Archer said.

"What difference does it make? We get to probably knock a whole cart-full of goblin heads." Warrior said.

"Still, the fact that Beard-Cutter is even mentioning it to us means he's getting alittle better, maybe." Dwarf Shaman said

"Indeed. I believe this is a sign of real progress." Lizard Priest said before he downed a chunk of cheese. "Sweet nectar..."

"Alright, I've decided. I'll go with you." Priestess said.

"You don't know how many goblins you might face; the more spellcasters you have, the likely the quest is to succeed." Lizard Priest said.

"Well, that just says it all. We're coming too." Wizard said.

"Finally, someone gets it." Warrior said exasperated.

"Oh alright. Our traveling expenses seem to be more-or-less in order. I suppose we could go." Dwarf Shaman said,then H.E. Archer hit the table and stood up and pointed at GS.

"Once we're done slaying these goblins, you'll go on another adventure with us What do you say Orcbolg, do we have a deal?" She asked.

"Sure., that's fine" GS said.

"And remember, there will no no water torture." H.E. Archer said firmly.

"Or setting them on fire." Priestess said.

"Or poisoning them." H.E. Archer said.

"Out of the question. Unless it causes collateral damage, we should use _every_ method we can." Ranger said.

"That's the point Ranger! We should think of the consequences of our actions." Priestess said.

"Not to mention Orcbolg here is far too into the whole goblin slaying thing for his own good." H.E. Archer said.

"So let me get this straight: You're having him undergo therapy, at a pretty bad time too, and you're doing so by having him exercise mercy towards creatures that don't even know what mercy means? Yeah, that makes perfect sense...somehow." Wizard said.

"Very well." GS breathed out, which made the two girls gasp and turn to each other.

"He actually agreed!" they both said, and with that, the nine people each turned in for the night to rest for the trip tomorrow.

* * *

As Ranger and Fighter got undressed before going to sleep in her room, he noticed her pause and sigh, which of course, got his attention.

"What's the matter love?" Ranger asked softly.

"It's just...did you see me drink some of that potion?" Fighter asked nervously, which Ranger was caught off-guard by.

"No I did not. But I thought you got it for me?" Ranger asked.

"It works for men and women, and...I was hoping to use it to celebrate our middle ranks later, but this quest...I have a sinking feeling about it." Fighter said, then Ranger hugged her from behind.

"Hey...we'll be fine." He whispered.

"I don't doubt we'll beat those goblins, but...for the first time in my life...I'm afraid of what might come, and I can't get past it, and they say you regret what you didn't do more than what you did do." Fighter said.

"And you regret that we never made love, do you?" Ranger asked.

"Please...erase my fears...show me hope." Fighter said as she stroked his faithfully shaven face, then Ranger kissed her sweetly,and she deepened the kiss, lashed tongues with him for about ten seconds before pulling back, looking down and Ranger dried the tears he saw gathering in her eyes, before she hugged him tightly, and he returned it.

"Now you must know how I felt when you did this for me at the pond." Ranger whispered.

"Maybe...but at least we have one more thing in common." Fighter said, before undoing her low ponytail and looking at up him. "Now, let's make the most of this; we have no idea what might lay ahead of us." With that, the two lovers helped each other strip, then she laid down with him getting on top of her, and they repeat the session, only this time, Ranger caressed her right leg, and paid special attention to her inner thigh, which she gasped at, and suddenly their first night was repeated: Ranger licked and kissed up and down her neck, until he reached her breasts and licked her nipples, and groped the breast he wasn't licking as he went back and forth between them, all the while she held the back of his head encouraging him to continue, and of course, moaning and gasping in bliss. Eventually, she flipped them over, returned the favor with his neck and nipples, while caressing his entire upper body, from his abs, to his pecs, to his arms,to his hair, while he massaged her ass which as established, was his favorite part of her body to touch.

"Are you still afraid?" Ranger asked as he broke their kiss, and he saw the thoughts go through the euphoric mist in her mind.

"No...not even of you causing me pain when we finally lose our virginity." She said honestly yet anxiously.

"Not long my dear, not long at all..." Ranger said, and with that, he flipped them again, and caressed her abs softly and she giggled a bit from the minor tickle, then he smiled at her brightness, then gave her a quick kiss "Ready?" She then nodded, before he took his place between her parted legs, and rubbed the tip of his manhood against her entrance which made her shudder a bit.

"Enough teasing! I've been the embodiment of patience so far, but this is driving me mad." Fighter said tensely.

"Alright...no more excuses..." Ranger said before he pushed into her as slowly and steadily as possible, and she cringed at feeling him do so; she saw how large he was, but it still took getting used to. Then he broke her barrier and she groaned. "Shhh...you're with me, and I love you." He noticed her calm down as she heard his soft yet deep voice. "Tell me when to move..."

"Ranger...I...I think I'm o.k. now." Fighter breathed out, then Ranger moved out a bit, then back in, with the same slowness, and he could see her slowly easing up, and eventually...there was pleasure in her voice. "I think...I'm getting used to it..." then he picked up some speed, and she started giving off those divine moans he loved hearing so much. She eventually got loud enough that she had to stuff as much of her blanket in her mouth as she could; she knew her teammates knew about her wanting to sleep with Ranger, but it was extremely rude to wake them over it, and...she was not going to stop her moaning anytime soon. Ranger himself buried his face into the space between her neck and mattress for the same reason. Eventually...she gave out an extra long moan that signaled that she had burst, and a few seconds later, he did the same thing, and collapsed on top of her, but she was strong enough to rip off a hob's head; being crushed under his weight was unlikely. The two previously-virgin lovers then laid there gasping and enjoying the afterglow by caressing each other, and eventually threw some minor kissing and groping into the mix.

"I don't know about you...but I feel like I could take on a whole city full of goblins by myself." Ranger said huskily which made Fighter chuckle.

"If you do that...I'll probably take you where you stand..." She said with the same tone.

"If I don't take you first." He then kisses her, then pulls out which makes her moan into their kiss. "Damned succubus..." Fighter then giggled at this.

"I'm _your_ succubus remember? Just like you're my War God." Fighter said teasingly, then softly.

"And you're my Love Goddess...we should sleep now." Ranger said as he touched her face.

"Right. I love you." Fighter whispered.

"And I love you." Ranger said, and with that, the two went to sleep in an loving embrace. Let the goblins come, they'll be ready...

* * *

The next morning, the team took as much of their funds as they could in their cart from their bank, and thanks to the metal covering they bought completely secured their funds; who knows what kind of scum they would encounter later on? They also had a second cart hired to carry everyone except Ranger, Fighter, and Warrior, who were with their goods. Eventually, Water Town came into view, and boy was it a sight to behold: true to it's name, the place was on a gigantic flat rock surrounded by a lake, with a bridge on either side. The buildings themselves were pure white stone, reflecting the sun a tad too much, and in the center, was the Temple of Law, home of the Sword Maiden and the one who summoned the team.

When they crossed the bridge into town, High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman and even Goblin Slayer, who was taught a bit about the place by Cow Girl mentioned respectively, that the waterways provided easy access for supplies to come into town, that sea food was a primary cuisine in Water Town, go figure, and that the wheat there was finely ground so it made good flour.

Later, the team deposited their funds at the town's bank hard as it was to find, put Ranger's horse in the stable, then headed straight for the Temple of Law, which was MUCH larger and more splendid up close, which Priestess was thrilled by.

"Wow! So this is the Temple of Law! Just like I imagined! Look Goblin Slayer! It's _amazing_!" Priestess exclaimed.

"Is it?" GS asked curiously and Priestess groaned.

"So, _this_ is where we're meeting?" H.E. Archer asked.

"Yes. Our client should be inside." GS said as he marched inside.

"Given that it's the Sword Maiden's _home_, one would assume so." Wizard said as she followed GS, and the rest of the team

"Get a move on, we've got goblins heads to bust." Warrior said as he followed too.

According to legend, the Sword Maiden isn't just the archbishop who is beloved by the people, and the Supreme God, she was born among the people and became a Gold Rank, and a legend in her own right, and the anticipation followed Priestess and probably a few others as they went down the grand hall to meet their client...

* * *

There she was...the Sword Maiden. She was just as the Abbot had described: she had a figure, and visage so majestic that it was totally believable that people questioned whether or not she was a goddess; the team barely felt qualified to be in the same room with her. But her blindfold alarmed Ranger; what treachery made her hide her eyes, and half of her divine face from the world?!

"Hello? Oh my, visitors." She said...and her voice matched her appearance flawlessly; Ranger instantly eased up with the softness of her voice, as did three of his original teammates; Priestess was of course completely thrilled to meet her.

"I'm here for the goblins." GS said firmly as he approached her, which made Ranger and his first three teammates stammer in astonishment; even for him this was unthinkable, which Priestess apparently agreed with since she gasped and rushed forward..

"I'm sorry! Excuse him! Thank you very much for seeing us! I can't tell you how much of an honor it is to meet you!" She exclaimed.

"We have a brave warrior, and a sweet Priestess." Sword Maiden said to the two; how did she know where they were with a blindfold on? "And you are?"

"Fellow adventurers who have had the privilege to fight beside them. Though we were not summoned, we'd be happy to offer assistance." Lizard Priest said.

"Well met stalwart adventurers. I welcome you, from the bottom of my heart." Sword Maiden said with a small bow.

"So...where are the goblins?" GS said which made Priestess groan.

"Oh for crying out loud..." Warrior said with a facepalm.

"Our Goblin Slayer friend has a single-minded approach to his craft Your Grace. Please do not take it personally." Ranger said with a deep bow.

"There is nothing to forgive. You all came here to slay goblins, and so you shall. " Sword Maiden said as she stepped forward, and encouraged the others to sit in a circle with her. "It happened about a month ago; we sent one of the acolyte girls from the temple on an errand later at night. Her...corpse was found in an alleyway the next morning. The report said it looked as though she was sliced apart while still alive."

"Still alive. So it happened right there?" GS asked to which Sword Maiden nodded. "Did the goblins eat parts of her, or was she only murdered?" H.E. Archer then nudged him.

"Just let her talk." She said softly.

"Continue..." GS said.

"That attack...was just the beginning. I had the city guard extend their patrols, but our crime rate rapidly increased. Women assaulted, children kidnapped, all apparently the work of cutthroats or thieves, but after one such attack was interrupted by an adventurer, a shocking discovery was made: the corpse of the small, would-be assassin wasn't human." Sword Maiden said somberly.

"A goblin?" GS asked, to which Sword Maiden nodded.

"This doesn't sound like normal goblin behavior." Fighter said.

"Be that as it may, this may be the work of more than just one." Dwarf Shaman said.

"How could that many have gotten into the town?" Priestess asked.

"They may have snuck in through the waterways or tunneled up from the ground. Trying the front gates would've been suicide." Ranger said.

"Seems like an awful lot of casualties if they were just passing through." H.E. Archer said.

"Goblins always make their nests beneath the surface do they not? This town was built on top of an old settlement so there are probably some ruins below the newer construction." Lizard Priest said.

"If I were them, I _would_ settle there. They're not bright creatures, but they aren't total fools." GS said.

"There you go again; you're always thinking like a goblin." H.E. Archer said.

"Of course I am. If I didn't know how they thought, I wouldn't be very good at fighting them." GS said simply.

"Hard to argue with that." Wizard said.

"Like you, we concluded that they were living under the city, and sent out a quest for the Water Town adventurers." Sword Maiden said.

"Let me guess: It didn't go well?" Ranger asked to which Sword Maiden shook her head and Ranger sighed "Figures..."

"But that was when I heard the ballad of the great and honorable Goblin Slayer, the Hero of the Frontier! As well as a rumor that there was a group of adventurers who were taking up a place at his side." Sword Maiden said with a hopeful voice.

"That would be us. Well, minus the other three Silver Ranks; they're recent additions." Warrior said honestly.

"What ballad?" GS asked.

"You mean you didn't know? You've been immortalized in song; the 6 of you are famous. Although, meeting _you_ in person was disappointing." H.E. Archer said.

"That's not my problem." GS said.

"Come now Sir Goblin Slayer, tales of bravery survive thanks to the bards who sing of them." Lizard Priest said.

"Why does that matter?" GS asked.

"Why _doesn't_ it matter?" Wizard asked in astonishment.

"Do you truly not understand how these things work? The more word of your deeds spread throughout the land, the more requests you'll get to do the goblin slaying you love so much." Dwarf Shaman said, and GS sighed.

"I beg of you. Kind sir, would you please save Water Town from these creatures and their depravity?" Sword Maiden asked desperately.

"Your town may already be lost, but I'll kill some goblins." GS said simply which made the whole team look at him aghast.

"Goblin Slayer! Can't you be alittle more tactful?!" Priestess snapped.

"It's the truth." GS said .

"And that's _exactly_ why you should be more sensitive!" Priestess cried.

"The _real_ truth, is that these goblins are going to get put down, and we're going to keep being the heroes we set out to be in the first damn place." Warrior said, and Sword Maiden eased up.

"Shall we head to the sewers then Sir Goblin Slayer?" Lizard Priest asked.

"Yes. We'll need to be careful, and thorough. It would be annoying if one of them got away." GS said.

"_Annoying_? Goblin have proven to be more than annoying." Fighter said seriously.

"Right." GS said.

"And remember! No using fire, water, or poison." H.E. Archer said firmly.

"I _know_." GS said harshly.

"You guys as well." H.E. Archer said.

"Need I remind you I lead them and not you? If we get a chance to do so and it's safe for the rest of us, it's going to happen." Ranger said sharply.

"I'm not above shooting you!" H.E. Archer snapped.

"I have _nothing_ to fear." Ranger said simply.

"Can we carry on now?" Wizard asked drearily.

"Forgive me for asking, but why have you not ordered the city guard to eradicate them for you? Admittedly there is much I do not know about this town and it's ways, but surely that would fall under their jurisdiction?" Lizard Priest asked.

"Well..." Sword Maiden said somberly.

"Were you told there was no point using the military against mere goblins?" GS said and Sword Maiden nodded,

"I suppose you can't really blame them. There are still plenty of demons running around the capital afterall. With the military spread thin, goblin slaying falls to us adventurers." Dwarf Shaman said.

"And since too many people don't take them seriously, those that try wind up dead or...wishing they were." Wizard said grimly.

"The difficulties that arise from money and politics in human society never cease to amaze me." Lizard Priest said.

"Now...I can't believe I'm asking this, but why haven't you gone down there to purge the goblins yourself?" Ranger said and Sword Maiden seemed a tad uncomfortable with the idea. "Let me guess: your duties as archbishop are keeping you?"

"Precisely..." Sword Maiden said somberly and Fighter noticed that Ranger seemed doubtful about her answer.

"Enough of this. How do we get underground?" GS asked, and Sword Maiden, was too distracted to answer right away. "Well?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. I do beg your pardon sir." She said as she stood up and grabbed a map. "I believe that your best option will be to access the sewers by going down the well behind this temple."

"Is this map accurate?" GS asked.

"Mostly. It's an old sketch dating back to when the temple was first built. But still, the waterways should be intact there. If there is damage it won't be too severe." Sword Maiden said.

"Alright. You navigate." GS said as he tossed the map to Lizard Priest.

"I'm happy to." Lizard Priest said.

"Let's go. There's no time to waste." GS said as the team followed him out.

"Right, there's Orcbolg. Always getting _straight_ to the point." H.E. Archer said.

"You expected less?" Wizard asked.

"Priestess and company?" Sword Maiden said before they turned to leave.

"Archbishop?" Priestess said.

"It probably isn't my place to ask, but are you not frightened of what you might encounter down there?" Sword Maiden asked.

"Archbishop...with all due respect, it's the _goblins_ you should pray for, not that they deserve such grace. Let's go." Ranger said as he turned to leave.

"Yes sir." Fighter, Warrior, Wizard and Priestess all said at once then Ranger gently held Fighter back from the group.

"What is it love?" She whispered.

"Have you noticed the Sword Maiden's mannerisms when I asked about her personally?" Ranger asked.

"Yes, it's as if she's hiding something. Something big." Fighter said.

"Well, whatever it is, goblins now, interrogation later." Ranger said half-jokingly.

* * *

The team then went down the well as the archbishop said, and landed right in the middle of a goblin patrol, which Goblin Slayer wastelanded without waiting for everyone else.

"So much for subtlety..." Wizard said sarcastically before torching another patrol with a charged fireball which turned them all to ash on contact.

"I said no fire!" H.E. Archer snapped.

"You may be three ranks above me, but I still don't take orders from you." Wizard said smugly.

"Less talking, more killing!" Ranger said as he pulled his crossbow and shot down goblin after goblin with it, then H.E. Archer joined him, while Warrior and Fighter butchered/clobbered any goblins that tried to sneak up on them.

The team then pressed onward, mowing down one goblin patrol after another, with Goblin Slayer doing most of the work, and the team took care of any that pop out of the corners, or are too far for GS to get to. Ranger and H.E. Archer took their bolts and arrows back whenever possible of course; no sense wasting ammo. H.E. Archer also stayed away from the goblin's arrows since they're too poorly-made, which Ranger had to agree with; Heaven forbid the goblins make their own crossbows. Lizard Priest and Dwarf Shaman were mostly spotting targets for them, and Warrior and Fighter eventually threw their own ranged weapons into the mix since Ranger and H.E. Archer weren't going to have ammo forever, although Warrior and Fighter's were slower due to them having less training.

And that was just the first attack; the next two were worse; one goblin actually grabbed Wizard's leg and made her lose her balance. Granted she speared it in the head, but Fighter had to kick three of the goblins into the sewer itself to save Wizard...talk about a close call. Ranger took a few arrows to the torso, but his lamellar armor held fast, and he reacted by hitting each goblin archer with a bolt in revenge.

The last two attacks were a joke; Goblin Slayer killed the first one before the others had a chance, and half the second one with just as much ease, and Lizard Priest got the second half with H.E. Archer getting a few stragglers.

"Nice to see Goblin Slayer's edge is as sharp as ever." Fighter said.

"It's just like the times we went goblin slaying with him before." Ranger said.

"You've done so often?" Lizard Priest asked.

"Oh yes, sometimes we were just there to watch; it's no wonder the goblins fear him. Goblin Slayer even said that he's a monster to them...and he's dead right." Ranger said.

"Hell, I'm amazed they even attack him at all." Warrior said before he blocked a goblin pouncing at him with his shield, then slammed it on the ground and smashed it's head in with his now-reinforced hammer.

"I believe that should be the last of this particular group." Lizard Priest said after he cut down two goblins.

"No." H.E. Archer said as she shot down a goblin. "_That's_ the last of them."

"This many goblins living right under a city. It's enough to make your skin crawl." Dwarf Shaman said.

"About what I'd expect." GS said.

"This is the fifth time we've been attacked today alone. Who knows how many goblins are down here. The place is crawling with the filthy things." Dwarf Shaman said.

"I'm starting to think we'll be down here forever." H.E. Archer said.

"Hey, they keep coming, we'll keep killing." Warrior said.

"Don't worry. These walls are made of stone; they're unlike to attack us through them." GS said as he examined the wall with his hand

"I can't stand the thought of another ambush..." Priestess whispered.

"Sorry." GS said which the team was somewhat amazed by; GS rarely apologized.

"At least with all the refuse down here we won't have to worry about masking our scents." Dwarf Shaman said somewhat playfully.

"Please don't remind me of such a terrible memory." H.E. Archer said alittle annoyed.

Awhile later, it started raining from above; there must've been rain on the surface dripping down, then GS ditched the torch for a lantern he brought with him, then they continued further down. Then they spotted what looked like boats on the channels below, and they were _full_ of goblins, and they shot a storm of arrows their way, only for it to be stopped by Priestess' Protection, and the goblins were blown up by a charged fireball from Wizard, who stepped out from behind the barrier just long enough to launch it, and the boat went up in smoke, only for another to attack them. Dwarf Shaman then smashed it by making a giant rock and slamming it on the boat, then a third boat appeared, and Ranger, Warrior, Fighter, and H.E. Archer shot at them before they could get close, and the moment Protection went down, Wizard used Reflect to send the arrows back, and then GS and Lizard Priest jumped on board, and carved up every goblin that got close. Then Wizard blew up that boat when the two were done.

"Another battle over. What next?" H.E. Archer asked

"Personally, I'd like to rest a little while." Priestess said.

"No, we need to keep moving." GS said.

"Yes, I agree. That skirmish was anything but quiet; even with the rain making some of the noise, we may well have alerted some of the other denizens of this place to our presence here." Lizard Priest said...then a goblin was launched out of the water.

"A goblin?" GS said...then a massive albino alligator burst out of the water and ate it. "That's not a goblin..."

"You _don't_ say!" Wizard snapped.

"Let's get out of here!" Ranger yelled, then the team ran to the side looking for a way out, then the alligator burst out of the water again, then GS wound up carrying Priestess, and Lizard Priest was carrying Dwarf Shaman as they ran. As they went, they noticed a another goblin ship, and it wasn't alone. That's when GS told Priestess to put Holy Light on the alligator's tail, and then the goblins sailed right for it, only for the alligator to smash their ships and make a meal out of them.

"Well...that's one way to trash their ships." Warrior said.

"How did you know that would work?" Fighter asked.

"The goblins learned to associate light with groups of adventurers since we always travel by it." GS said.

Turns out, goblins are scavengers by nature; they never think of anything on their own, which is precisely why GS never gives them an idea, and always tries what might not work. But still, the idea of goblins using boats was disturbing; did a shaman learn to use them and taught the others? Did someone else teach them? Did they learn other things as well? How did they even get down there in the 1st place? How many were there? Were they reproducing naturally...or was someone, or something orchestrating the infestation? No one knew, and even if they didn't want to know...they had to find out.

* * *

**Well...so much for Ranger and Fighter's cherries then. Also...last night from when I posted this chapter something occurred to me: people ship Goblin Slayer and Sword Maiden, who WAS apparently violated by goblins, and even practically threw herself at Goblin Slayer...o.k. I'll admit that makes a bit of sense considering that he's the antithesis of her plight, but still...wtf? The idea of Goblin Slayer, an individual who has NO interest other than brutalizing goblins, including relationships, shagging an Archbishop who's only knowledge of intimacy comes from being forced to be intimate with creatures that aren't even human, is perfectly fine, even though G.S. and S.M. barely knew each other, but Ranger being with Fighter? Two people that go through an actual relationship that takes weeks of constant contact with each to get to where it is now...is a felony? How does that work? There's a legit issue with how the series treated her that, in case it didn't sink in yet, is something I seek to rectify in EVERY way I can. I've even seen a fanfic where Sword Maiden recalled being tormented by goblins, in detail, and then she actually gets jumped by them, Goblin Slayer shows up, steamrolls the goblins, and SM "rewards" GS by letting him fuck her brains out. If there's one thing I haven't done, it's treat Fighter unfairly. She kicked the shit out of an army of demons with almost no help for crying out loud! If there's a legit explanation please tell me, because I'm throwing everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink at my refusal to call that hypocrisy. Anyway...before I start ranting for real, please remember to Rate, Review, Share and stay tuned.**


	11. Chapter 7

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. Now...this episode is going to be another goblin massacre episode, with a few bits and pieces of the usual drama between people thrown into the mix as well, and honestly, I've been looking forward to this one in particular. There were some others I was looking forward to writing, like the team's 1st promotion exam, but this one, and another few down the line take the cake. Why? Read and find out...**

**Review response: Actually, Revenant is Lawful Neutral; if he was Chaotic Neutral he would just do his own thing with no regard for the consequences, but he actually follows a set of rules, especially where his soul harvesting job is concerned, hence why he helps people if they help him, directly or indirectly. Also...revenants are already dead, and this one is at the level of a Platinum Rank, so attacking him is not only suicidal, but also pointless, but since his job is...pretty distasteful despite its nobility, and he has a pretty in-your-face apathy towards living people, it's easy to see why revenants aren't very popular.**

**As for that Rhea's exam, I ripped it straight from the episode it was based on, and I REALLY doubt I need to explain Ranger's antipathy to the Rhea's underhandedness; Ranger leads his own team, and went out of his way to make sure they're as prepared as possible, so seeing someone take advantage of their team is...quite a pill to swallow.**

**As for Wizard using a fireball against High Elf Archer's wishes? Like she said, Wizard doesn't take orders from her; she, Fighter, Warrior, and sometimes Priestess take orders from Ranger. And...what can I say? Wizard likes embracing the Thug Life; all she's missing is a cigerette and sunglasses. Yeah, let that colorful image sink into your brains for a sec...**

**As for their ranks? Well, look at all the crazy shit they've been doing. Now...I don't know EXACTLY how ranking works in the GS verse, but it's fairly logical to think they're on-screen, and off-screen efforts speak for themselves.**

**As for GS and SM? Well...like I said, her throwing herself at someone who's a walking middle finger towards goblins is somewhat logical, but it's still a little disgusting for that to be o.k., but Fighter being in a relationship, one she RICHLY deserves by the way, which is handled in an honest, reasonably drawn-out, and at least somewhat realistic manner to be demonized, despite what happens in the official show, which as I said, is all-the-more reason to at least try to repair some of the damage. If I didn't at all, then the damage would be done for good for some people, which I REFUSE to let slide.**

**As for Goblin Slayer's absence from most of the previous chapters? I did say he wasn't going to be a focus, and why that is, but even though that demands to be noted, I do understand why that's an issue and I promise to make up for that at least somewhat.**

**Minor spoiler: this part will have not 1, but 3 new OCs and...well, I'll let their role speak for itself...**

* * *

Priestess, Fighter and Wizard were in the temple bathhouse; the others would join them, but they either didn't want to invade their privacy, or had others plans, like eating, or in Goblin Slayer's case, mail a letter.

"Ahhhh...this is what I've been missing..." Wizard said as she leaned back at the edge next to Fighter, after she came up for air. "So...you and Ranger doing well?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" Fighter asked casually.

"_How_ well?" Wizard asked knowingly which made Fighter look at her funny. "Oh I'm not criticizing; if you want him to go to where kids start their lives, who am I to say no?"

"Wizard...as much as I'm glad you think that way, that's a bit of a personal topic." Fighter said seriously.

"Hey, like I said, you want him to go down there, I won't get on you. Besides...he's kinda hot." Wizard said with a smirk.

"You don't know the half of it..." Fighter said as she finished rinsing her hair.

"He's so private..." Priestess said on the other side of the bath which got her two companions' attention. "I meant Goblin Slayer."

"He always is isn't it?" Fighter said.

"Yes, but it makes sense; we've only known him for a few months now..." Priestess said softly.

"Hello?" The voice of the Sword Maiden herself came from the entrance, with her nearly ankle-length hair covering her anatomy, with her blindfold still on. "I hope you don't mind if I join you for a quick soak."

"Of course not Your Grace." Fighter said.

"You're too kind." Sword Maiden said as she entered the water, and began cleaning herself with a bushel of leaves. "I apologize if I startled you just now, I'm afraid my duties kept me working late."

"It's perfectly fine Your Grace." Wizard said, then Sword Maiden somehow noticed Priestess staring at her as she was cleaning herself.

"Oh, it's fine...your scars. Are you...o.k.?" Priestess asked then Sword Maiden showed herself a bit more.

"Oh, these old things? They're the results of a foolish mistake on my part. My foe snuck up behind me and hit me on the head. I can't believe that was more than ten years ago now." Sword Maiden said.

"Still, even if it was awhile ago...you probably find yourself thinking about it." Priestess said.

"I can tell you're kind people. When I tell most people my story they usually end up apologizing for asking." Sword Maiden said.

"It wasn't my place to bring up." Priestess said as the Sword Maiden sat down next to her while chuckling.

"Please don't worry, I actually find it refreshing, and I'm certain that Ranger you speak so fondly of is no different from the rest of you, which is no surprise since he's clearly won the heart of one of your number." Sword Maiden said.

"How...how do you...?" Fighter asked as Sword Maiden stroked her blindfold.

"These eyes have seen many things, more than you could possibly imagine I'd wager. I saw the connection between you and him the moment we met, also I heard you speak of your encounter with him. Such love is proof of the Supreme God's presence being as firm as ever in this world. It comforts me greatly." Sword Maiden said seriously.

"If you please, I could give you some of my potion that eliminated my need for glasses." Wizard said with some concern in her voice.

"I...I will consider it." Sword Maiden said as she stood. "Anyway...that man with you? The one who refers to himself as Goblin Slayer. He appears to be a dependable fellow."

"That's very true. He's also...so brave too." Priestess said brightly.

"It seems your search is going well..." Sword Maiden said cynically.

"And we will stop at _nothing_ to clear out the rest of the goblins Your Grace. You have our word on it." Fighter said firmly.

"But...you should prepare yourselves. Some day I'm sure he'll disappear. Trust me..." Sword Maiden said, and with that, she walked for the entrance, leaving the other three ladies aghast.

"What do you mean? Have you...?" Priestess trailed off.

"Don't stay in too long, or you'll grow faint." Sword Maiden said as she left.

"Well...even if Goblin Slayer _does_ vanish, we'll be there to finish his work." Wizard said firmly.

"She knows..." Priestess said trembling, which got the other two's attention right away. "Her scars. I can tell...she knows what the goblins are like..."

"Dear Supreme...no." Wizard whispered in horror.

"_That's_ why she was so nervous earlier. She's gripped by the very despair that we've been fighting against." Fighter said as she looked at the entrance with concern.

* * *

Later on, Fighter and Wizard went to the town's guild tavern, or should they say guild hall; the place was much more impressive than the tavern they usually took quests from, then the two ladies noticed a trio of adventurers that looked like they meant business, since everyone was giving them a wide berth. One was a woman, dark blonde hair to her shoulders, wearing a skin-tight dark red and black leather suit full of knives of different shapes and size. She had an aura that said "I invite you to look at me all you want, but don't touch me with a hand you're not prepared to lose". The second was a muscle-bound man with a pair of impressively-sized hatchets on his sides, and his outfit was similar to the woman's. If it wasn't for the man's silvery hair, they could be mistake for siblings. The last one stood out like a red apple among green ones; he was bald or at least shaved, had a bright blue mage's outfit that lacked sleeves, had purple eyes, was decently muscular, and had some strange stones with markings on them attached to his belt. They were all Bronze Rank too, so their appearance wasn't the only thing serious about them; you don't become Bronze Ranked without being a heavy-hitter. Even more impressive, was the mark each of them had on their right shoulders: The mark of the War God...

"Hey, you there. I don't think we've seen you around before, and we know everyone in this town, living and dead." The woman said and the two ladies flinched.

"We've just come here. We've been called by the a rchbishop herself." Fighter said and the mage looked right at her.

"The Sword Maiden? Not just anyone is called by Her Grace. But it's clearly not demons; that's our department." He said.

"You're demon hunters?" Wizard asked.

"Best in the business. Have you ever noticed that no one ever says "Demons in Water Town"? We're the reason why." The woman, Assassin said.

"Wow... may I ask what those stones are for?"" Wizard said looking at the mage's stones.

"They're summoning stones, for...I am a summoner" He said proudly.

"May I have one for research?" Wizard asked.

"Do you have 75 gold on you? These stones aren't easy to make and I need as many as I can get ahold of." Summoner said, then Wizard checked her bag, and counted out a bag of coins, which had 30 gold, another which has 15 gold and 40 silver, and the last one had 10 gold, and 50 copper.

"Will this do?" Wizard asked as she forked over the coin.

"I suppose." Summoner said as he took her coin and gave a stone. "Use it wisely; like I said, they're not easy to make, and I will not lower my price."

"Noted. May I ask what you summon?" Wizard asked.

"Elementals mostly, that one is for a water elemental, the least destructive but most useful of my summons. I'm willing to demonstrate if you wish, but not here, and not now." Summoner said.

"I would very much like that." Wizard said.

"What about you?" Fighter asked the axeman who handed her a slip of paper. "It says you hate demons, you hate talking to people more, you love the assassin next to you, the summoner with you is too soft for your liking, but still respectable, and...you're a werewolf!?"

"Huh? I thought werewolves only ran around in the north?" Wizard asked.

"He's from the north. Quite a sordid tale it is that led him down here, but that's not for strangers. We have an understanding among ourselves." Assassin said with that husky and alittle raspy voice of hers.

"We get it, we're part of a nine-person team ourselves. Me, her, and three of the others are Emerald Ranked, the last four are Silvers." Fighter said.

"Ohhh, Emeralds and Silvers. _That's_ a rare combination." Assassin said.

"Assassin...these girls smell remarkably fresh, and this conversation is stirring my inner wolf..." Werewolf growled.

"Hence why he doesn't like talking to people. You fine girls should leave; it would be quite a shame to waste such beauty..." Assassin said before chuckling, and which made the two ladies rejoin their group.

* * *

When they did, they learned that the city had absolutely no quests involving the sewers in any way, not even exterminating rats, probably because the goblins were a death sentence to any rookies, which the city was full of. Then they turned in for the night to hunt down the rest of the goblins, in the morning, and did Fighter have a tale to tell her lover...

"How was your bath my dear?" Ranger asked.

"Quite pleasant, until Her Grace showed up..." Fighter said somberly.

"Don't tell me you're jealous of her..." Ranger said which caught Fighter off-guard.

"Absolutely not. You've made your loyalty quite clear, and I hope I've made mine clear as well?" Fighter said, then Ranger smiled and gave her a quick kiss.

"Of course you have. Now, what did Her Grace do?" He asked.

"It's not what _she_ did...it's what happened to her. Ranger...she had an encounter with goblins. A nasty one." Fighter said and Ranger's heart sank.

"She did _not_... she...oh this explains everything..." He said harshly.

"To think a Gold Rank who helped beat the Demon Lord would be reduced to a scared little girl. Just when you think goblins couldn't be any more cowardly." Fighter said shaking in fury.

"Goblin Slayer _did_ say they were cowards by nature, as if it wasn't already painfully obvious. Now...it should go without saying, but we're not telling anyone else about this." Ranger said seriously.

"No argument there. Things are twisted enough as it is; if it got out that she's been through...that, who knows how many people will question her, or what she'll be questioned about." Fighter said.

"But enough of that. Let's get some sleep. We have plenty of goblin heads to bust in the morning." Ranger said and Fighter laughed at his reference to Warrior, then they helped each other strip, then got in bed, and fell asleep in each other's arms, her skin extra soft due to her bath from not even three hours ago. She felt his aroused manhood grow, but then adjusted it for him so it was laying down at his stomach. Neither was up for a shag; even if they had drank some sterilizing potion, the mood was awful.

* * *

"A canary? Seriously?" Warrior asked.

"_That's_ what you went shopping for?" High Elf Archer asked in astonishment.

"Yes." Goblin Slay said simply.

"It's well-known that miners use them to sniff out toxins in the air." Ranger said.

"Correct." GS said as they walked into the sewers. "The goblins in this nest, appear to have been educated. It wouldn't surprise me if they could use the defense systems in these ruins."

"Sir Goblin Slayer, where did you acquire such knowledge?" Lizard Priest asked.

"From miners. Most people in this world are more intelligent than I am, unless it's about slaying goblins." GS said.

"No kidding..." Wizard said, then Fighter nudged her.

"So Beard-Cutter, where are we headed this morning?" Dwarf Shaman asked.

"We're traveling upstream. That's the direction their boats came from last time." GS said as they marched on.

"There was alot going on; how did you notice?" Wizard asked.

"When fighting goblins, always keep an eye on any detail no matter how small; you never know what difference it could make later." GS said. He told them that before, just like that whole "goblins aren't bright, but aren't fools either" deal, but it never fails to slip through the cracks somehow.

"I see. That makes sense." Dwarf Shaman said.

"We'll do everything we can to avoid running into goblins." GS said.

"That's odd coming from you. I'm honestly surprised you'd let any of the goblins pass us by." H.E. Archer said.

"I don't plan to. I'm going to take down their leader, crush their nest, and slaughter _every_ stray goblin who escapes into these tunnels." GS said.

"And we aren't? We're a team remember?" Wizard asked.

"Yes. GS said.

"Do you think there could be another ogre or shaman down here?" Priestess asked.

"I don't know." GS said.

"Eh, even if there was, it would just mean another dead goblin leader, one that wouldn't go around leading the rest of the goblins." Warrior said.

"You're starting to sound like Orcbolg." H.E. Archer said cheekily.

"I try." Warrior said, then Priestess sighed.

"You alright Priestess?" Fighter asked.

"Oh, yes, I'm o.k." Priestess said softly which Fighter didn't believe but respectfully accepted.

* * *

Eventually, they reached a large open area, a perfect place for an ambush...

"This is where the map ends. We must forge our own path now." Lizard Priest said.

"We can do that." Ranger said as GS opened a door which led to another large room.

"This place is gigantic." Priestess said as GS put his torch to a wall.

"Traces of soot." GS said.

"That could possibly mean other people were down here...recently." H.E. Archer said.

"It hasn't been used in a long time. Goblins have excellent night vision; they don't need lights" GS said as the team examined the unlit torch and Lizard Priest brushed some soot off the wall, to reveal a picture of some strong and extraordinary-looking people.

"They must be warriors or guards. No wait, I believe these figures to be adventurers." He said.

"I've heard tales of the many fearsome battles that took place in this area in the past. This painting is probably four or five hundred years old at least." Dwarf Shaman said.

"Then...could this actually be a mass grave? For the valiant who fought on the side of order. A final resting place for heroes...still standing from the Age of the Gods." Priestess said which made the team look around.

"A monument to champions that's now home to scores of filthy goblins. I suppose this is what happens when everyone forgets you existed." H.E. Archer said.

"This is like those ruins we fought that ogre in all over again." Fighter said.

"None of that matter right now." GS said as he walked off.

"There's no need to be impatient Beard-Cutter. The goblins will go running when they see you even if they have to wait a bit longer." Dwarf Shaman said.

"That would be a problem. I'd prefer them not to split up." GS said as he kept going.

"If they split up and run, we'll split up and chase them." Warrior said.

"Absolutely not. You know goblins fight without honor; what if we split up and one or more of us gets trapped?" Ranger said.

"Good point boss..." Warrior said as they followed GS.

* * *

"These hallways are like some kind of labyrinth." H.E. Archer said as she looked over the place.

"The builders must've designed it this way so that any monsters who wandered in would get lost in the hopes that the dead warriors buried here would not be disturbed. Having to wander this place as a lost spirit would be cruel fate indeed." Dwarf Shaman said.

"All the more reason for us not to split up." Wizard said sharply.

"Yes, and it would also remove one from the cycle of death and rebirth. We cannot allow the goblins to confuse our path. Those dastardly creatures could attack at any moment. We must remain vigilant." Lizard Priest said.

"Well, the good news is I haven't seen anything with my Life Sight, but I don't know if they have a shaman or anything masking their presence." Wizard said as they reached a door that H.E. Archer was inspecting.

"Might as well start with this room, I guess." Priestess said.

"It isn't locked, and there don't appear to be any traps, not on the door at least, but I'm no expert on ancient ruins so don't get mad at me if something goes terribly wrong here." H.E. Archer said.

"Let's go!" GS yelled as he pulled his sword and kicked in the door, and the team followed with the same intensity only to see an armored woman chained up like the elf girl at the ruins.

"Oh no! A prisoner!" H.E. Archer yelled.

"Of all places." Warrior said as he marched forward only to be pulled back by Fighter.

"Wait! Something is wrong..." Fighter said...and she's proven right as the hair falls off to reveal that the prisoner is just a skeleton which strikes horror into the hearts of the team, then the doors close.

"It's a trap!" Ranger yelled as Lizard Priest tried to open the door..

"This is not good. They've barred the door from the outside." He said then the canary went crazy as poison gas filled the room. Then they each covered their mouths with pieces of cloth and charcoal, then Dwarf Shaman, Wizard and even H.E. Archer used their earth control, Repair spell, and concrete mixtures respectively to plug the holes in the walls where the gas is coming from. Meanwhile, the rest of the team pushed as many coffins in front of the door as possible, then Lizard Priest summoned a Dragontooth warrior, and Ranger, Warrior and Fighter readied their crossbows and bow, which Wizard readied a fireball.

"Hold your spells and shots!" Ranger said to his team.

"Dwarf! Here!" Wizard said as she tossed a magic restore potion to him and he muscled past the taste to restore his spells.

"Now, once that door opens, let them have it!" Ranger said.

"Yes sir!" Warrior said.

"Priestess!" Ranger yelled.

"Protection!" She yelled as a barrier formed in front of the door.

"The poison must've gotten some of them..." GS said, and then the door burst open and H.E. Archer shot first.

"I can't tell how many goblins there are but I hear stranger footsteps coming this way!" She yelled then Wizard used Life Sight.

"Guys, there's something big, heavy, and carrying a large club coming this way!" She yelled.

"Great, another ogre?" Warrior asked as he reloaded a shot.

"Can't tell yet." Wizard sad as the four shooters kept shooting and not five seconds later...a massive metal club bashed down the door, and swept down a few goblins, then GS threw a knife at the beast.

"A goblin champion!" GS said with actual awe in his voice as the hulking goblin snapped the knife in half between it's fingers.

"Champion!? How the hell does a goblin get _that_ big?" Warrior asked as he stopped shooting.

"Who knows, who cares?! It's still going down!" Fighter asked fearless as ever as she kept shooting. As she and her three fellow shooters kept shooting down goblins, GS and Lizard Priest charged into the goblins as they tried to break the barrier. "Are you two insane!?"

"Just cover them!" Ranger yelled as he shot another goblin, and watched GS show how it's done by slashing down goblin after goblin after goblin and taking their weapons to take down more goblins, then he went for the champion...who used one of it's fellow goblins as a shield before bashing GS into a coffin. At first the team thought he'd be fine since he took a similar hit before...until GS spat up blood and their hearts sank like rocks, especially Priestess who was so shaken by his fate that she dropped the barrier, and when she did...all hell broke loose...

"Here they COME!" Warrior yelled and he pulled his sword and popped out his shield to finish what GS started, as Fighter threw the bow away and clobbered goblins left and right.

"Fireball!" Wizard yelled, but the champion actually used a Reflect spell, which stopped the fireball cold, but decreased it's power...before launching it back at Wizard who panicked, and Ranger pushed her out of the way. The fireball whooshed past them but grazed Ranger's cloak...but that was all it took; his whole body burst into flames and his screams of pain drowned out all other sounds. His team was so disheartened by the fact that their great and honorable leader was burning alive that they forgot they were fighting and were swarmed from all sides.

Warrior regained his barrings and punched the goblins off him as they tried to pierce through his armor which held fast, but for how much longer?

Fighter was pinned down, and the goblins tried to tear off her robe which not only held fast thanks to Dwarf Shaman's magic, but also made her go berserk and lash out at every goblin in sight, who were either smashed to a paste, had their throats ripped out, were sent flying, or any combination of the three. When she got to Warrior, he grabbed his sword, then yelled at the goblins as he cut down the ones Fighter managed to ignore in her frenzy.

Priestess rushed to Ranger and used Heal on him, and while it did snuff the flames...he was no easier to look at. His skin was mostly charred black with bits of bright red all over his body and his armor was nearly useless. The champion then took notice and walked over to grab him, and when it did, Ranger let out another heart-chilling scream that his damaged throat did nothing to mollify.

"Charred meat..." The champion said not knowing that Goblin Slayer was behind it, holding the skeleton's hair and climbed up it's back to strangle it, then it dropped Ranger's scorched body and tried to free itself from the monster on it's back that should've died from the hit it took.

"Ranger..." Fighter said as she finally snapped out of her frenzy, and rushed to see Ranger getting healed by Priestess "Is he...?"

"He's still alive, but he's in very bad shape!" Priestess said in tears as Ranger laid there shaking and groaning in agony as the others took care of the endless waves of goblins.

"Save him...! I'll keep these damned things off of you." Fighter said with a shaky voice as she took a fighting stance daring any goblins who get close to attack her while Priestess heals her man.

"Now goblins! Take a good look!" GS yelled as he actually ripped out one of the champion's eyes and the champion roared in pain and then collapsed from the shock. The remaining goblins surrounded GS as he slowly stood up and threw it down to the ground for all to see it, as he turned his head to the terrified little bastards. "Which one of you...is next? Is it you? Or _you_...?" The goblins then screamed and rushed out the door they came in from with their champion's back to them, only for Wizard to...somehow drum up the nerve to use a fireball on them and they all burned to death.

"Forget the boss...that was personal." Wizard growled out then collapsed to her knees and broke down crying into her hands, no doubt guilty for indirectly causing Ranger's hideous burns.

"It's not your fault." Warrior said softly before Wizard stood up and looked right at him.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT!" She screamed in rage and grief before pointing at her boss's first, second, and third degree-burned body that was barely clinging to life "How can that _possibly_ not be my fault...!?"

"Fight...er?" Ranger groaned and Fighter rushed to his side. She wanted to hold his hand, but that would likely make him scream again, and her heart was already a pound of force away from being crushed as it was.

"I'm here boss! I'm here for you..." She said on the verge of tears.

"Did...we win?" Ranger asked. His will wasn't human; a normal person would've passed out from the pain by now.

"Yes. Goblin Slayer crippled the champion and Wizard finished the job. We did it." Fighter said.

"Good..." Ranger said before passing out, which alarmed the team.

"Wait, boss?" Fighter said worried. "Boss? BOSS!"

* * *

**I'll bet you didn't see THAT outcome coming eh? Although...given how many times fire was mentioned in the 1st part of this fanfic, you could say it was built up. Anyways, looks like Wizard found her own kindred spirit in that Summoner guy eh? And he's a demon hunter to boot, and has 2 equally-beastly teammates to boot. So...how will the team get their leader and the Goblin Slayer back in action? Wait until the next chapter in case you haven't somehow figured it out. How will these demon hunters make a name in this story? Either wait for me to think of something, or give me an idea to throw into the brew, but please remember to Rate, Review, and Share and stay tuned.**


	12. Chapter 8 Part I

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. Now...this episode is going to be a 2-parter that will take another page out of Doom's book and have some demon fights, not right away, but still. Also...I took a minor break from this story to give people a chance to give input but...there's not much...anyway, let's pick up where we left off, and I'm sure some of you will have seen what happens next coming a mile away...**

* * *

Ranger sucked in a breath as his blurry vision became more focused as he woke up in probably the softest bed he ever laid down in, and he looked around to see a massive room that looked like the Temple of Law. The memory of him burning lingered, and for a split second, he felt sorry for the goblins he and his team set on fire, then he remembered that elf girl in the ruins, and his compassion turned into satisfaction. Burning is painful beyond words, but if it happens to goblins, it's very fitting. Then Ranger got back to reality, and thought about his situation...

"Am...am I in Heaven..?" Ranger asked.

"No...you are still alive." Sword Maiden's angelic voice came from his left, and he snapped his head to her. She didn't have her blindfold on, which revealed her entire face, and Ranger was even more awe-struck by her beauty than he already was. Even though he was past the point of no return in regards to his love for Fighter...Sword Maiden was the most glorious woman he knew without question...even though her eyes were somewhat milky, probably due to whatever those cursed goblins had in store for her.

"Arch...archbishop?" Ranger whispered in awe as he tried to sit up only for Sword Maiden to push him down.

"Rest. You were in terrible shape when your team brought you here." She said before Ranger's memories came back and made him cringe.

"I was...on _fire_...!" He whispered in complete disbelief.

"You nearly died from that blaze, but I was able to heal you, thanks to your Wizard friend there." Sword Maiden said as she pointed to Wizard, who was sleeping next to Ranger...naked "The miracle of Resurrection, it requires you to sleep next to a virgin, but the results speak for themselves. Fighter wanted to do so herself, but...I can tell you and her have each other's virginity."

"How?" Ranger said in awe; is this woman _psychic_?

"The Supreme God lets me see many things, including the blessings that you and your team have. Have you witnessed miracles of this magnitude before?" Sword Maiden asked as she sat down on the bed next to him.

"Yes, an abbot of the Supreme God restored an entire ruined monastery by calling upon the Supreme's power. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen." Ranger said.

"There is a reason the Supreme God has that name. Now...Goblin Slayer was hurt badly as well, but he already received this miracle thanks to Priestess, I would sleep next to either of you myself-" Ranger cuts her off

"Goblins... Fighter and I keep no secrets from each other." Ranger said and Sword Maiden looked away. "I've seen so many cases of goblins capturing people that I've lost count, and even after feeling the worst pain I've ever felt, I think it's too little for them. It's sourly fitting that such vile creatures are born from completely headless spite."

"Your rage towards them is completely justified. As for fire...that's actually what happened to my eyes; it's why I wear that cloth over my eyes. It's been ten years since they gripped me, and I still feel them digging into me as if I was dirt...!" Sword Maiden said while trembling and sobbing.

"Your Grace...I apologize for interrupting, but if you go too far into detail, it will only make me angrier..." Ranger said trying to keep himself from growling.

"I know...I shouldn't add to your burden. The Supreme God gives me what little comfort is available, and I struggle to keep it together before other people, but it never ends..." Sword Maiden said.

"But you are still the archbishop of the Supreme God, and the people worship you as if you were a goddess yourself, despite what you went through. Not just anyone can be where you are now. I don't know where your tormentors are now, but all this means is that we have one more reason to see the goblins go extinct. And one more thing...this trauma you face? If you continue to let it fester, then those goblins who wronged you will have won, and they deserve no such victory, even in death." Ranger said seriously, and Sword Maiden gasped. "On my first mission with Goblin Slayer, he suggested that I kill a handful of girls who were captured and tormented by the goblins to end their suffering...and I did. I thought it was compassion that drove me, but I was wrong. Despair is what drove me; I had no hope that they would recover from their trauma, just like you haven't, but if I continued that trend, or worse, if my _team_ had...then like I said, the goblins would have an undeserved win."

"You are as wise as you are kind..." Sword Maiden said softly.

"And...if I may be so bold Your Grace...the abbot we saw restore that monastery described you, and I quote, as having a visage, figure, and voice so majestic that people questioned your humanity, and when I first saw you...I knew _exactly_ what he meant." Ranger said.

"You flatter me Ranger." Sword Maiden said with a giggle.

"Not at all, I am merely saying what I heard. And...I barely feel good enough to be in the same room as you...despite how defiled you must feel." Ranger said.

"You...and the others, are the most worthy people I know. It's as easy as breathing to see what that Fighter girl sees in you. She is the most fortunate woman I have ever met, to have such a man as yourself in her life..." Sword Maiden said softly before she shook with a sob. Ranger then put his hand on her shoulder, then she leaned back into his torso, and he wrapped both arms around her belly and let her sob.

"Sword Maiden..." Ranger whispered, and about eight seconds later, she pulled herself together and turned to him.

"You and Goblin Slayer...you're both kindred souls; both fighting a plague on this world, to save those close to you, and those close to others." Sword Maiden said with a mix of softness...and huskiness thrown into her voice. She then shifts and gets on the bed itself entirely "You're both warriors worthy of a place in Heaven..." Ranger then gets the notion of easing her by being sensual with her, but even though she was legitimately hurting, and her purity was unquestionable...so was his loyalty to Fighter.

"Stop...my heart belongs to another...I'm sorry." Ranger whispered harshly.

"No...I'm sorry. I should have known better..." Sword Maiden said with shame in her voice.

"But, to be fair Your Grace...if that were not the case, I would probably give you what you ask." Ranger said honestly.

"Just how much does she mean to you?" Sword Maiden asked as if desperate for the answer.

"She is my love and life, which I seem to tell alot of people." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"Do you have plans for your future together?" Sword Maiden asked.

"Not well-made ones, but no matter what...I want her in my life." Ranger said softly.

"If...if you want to marry her, I would be honored if I could be the one who blesses the two of you." Sword Maiden said while shaking again.

"The honor would be ours Your Grace." Ranger said.

"Good...make sure you two stand by each other. This kind of love must be preserved at _all_ costs...!" Sword Maiden said while weeping. Eventually, she stood, and took a moment to compose herself. "Wizard should wake in a few minutes..." She then walked out, leaving Ranger in the room with a still-sleeping Wizard. He was tempted to uncover her and inspect her body, but not even _that_ was appealing; Fighter's was the only body he was interested in and even if he gave into the temptation, he doubted it would have as much of an impact. A few seconds later, Fighter walked in, and when she saw Ranger in perfect condition...her eyes went wide.

"Boss! Praise the Supreme!" She yelled as she rushed him with tears in her eyes. She then threw her arms around him, buried her face in his shoulder, and wept in his strong, and warm embrace.

"Fighter...my love and life..." Ranger whispered softly as he held his Love Goddess.

"I was right...I had a feeling something like this would happen...!" Fighter whispered with a cracked voice.

"But I'm still here. The Supreme did not bring you and me together only to pull us apart. Now I'm here holding you, and I will not let go." Ranger said.

"Please...never let me go..." Fighter said as she hugged him tighter and kept weeping into his shoulder.

"Hey, I don't call you my love and life because I like the way it sounds. Although...it is somewhat poetic." Ranger said and Fighter chuckled. "When a man's world is burning..."

"The hands of a beautiful woman can smother the flames." Fighter said as she dried her tears, only for Ranger to take over as she began. "You said that at the pond."

"When I said it then...I meant it figuratively..." Ranger said before remembering his burns and cringing. "But when you embraced me...I felt no more pain."

"What...?" Fighter asked in horror.

"The pain lingers Fighter, despite the damage being repaired. It might be a while before it goes away completely." Ranger said.

"Then I'll squeeze the pain out of you if I must." Fighter said firmly.

"I know..." Ranger said before she kissed him softly.

"I wanted to be the one Sword Maiden used to heal you but-" Ranger cuts her off.

"We had no way of knowing this would be the case. Besides, Wizard has her reasons for volunteering, and I know you would be the one if you could be." He said.

"You would for me right?" Fighter said with a small smile.

"Without a moment's pause." Ranger said returning the smile.

"You said that at the pond too." Fighter said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Ranger teased which Fighter chuckled at then kissed him again. "I love you."

"And I love you..." Fighter then pressed her lips to his a third time, and they sat there enjoying each other's embrace, until she broke the kiss to look at him smiling at her. "I felt your heart racing..."

"You know it does that often when we're like this, and can you blame it?" Ranger said before Wizard started stirring lightly.

"I will let two of you get yourselves together..." Fighter said.

"We'll join you when we do." Ranger whispered, as Fighter left the two people in bed to get themselves together, and Wizard woke and saw Ranger back to normal.

"It...it worked..?" Wizard said as she looked over his muscles, then snapped out of it as Ranger heard her. "It's...good to see you back in top form sir."

"You don't need to be so formal." Ranger said.

"Ranger...if I had listened to that elf-" Ranger cut her off.

"Don't. Don't go down that road. There is no way you could've known that champion knew a Reflect spell. What you can do is enchant some jewelry to give use all resistance to magic." He said.

"That's...that's brilliant!" Wizard snapped up, disregarding that she was naked and covered her breasts with the blanket again with a yelp, much to Ranger's amusement.

"Wizard...you have nothing I haven't seen before. Although you are pretty nice to look at." Ranger said softly.

"Ummm...thanks, I guess." Wizard said alittle flustered as Ranger looked away and Wizard put her clothes back on. Ranger tried to resist, but he looked at Wizard's bare form, and...even though she wasn't as muscular as Fighter...Wizard was still pretty fit, and was just as plump in all the right places as Fighter was. Ranger then looked around for his outfit, then Wizard noticed him looking. "Your armor was nearly ruined, so I had to use my Repair spell on it, but...it's not finished. The clothes I _could_ fix are here." She then grabbed some pants and an undershirt and tossed it over for Ranger to put on. And he was smart enough to put his clothes on as he was sitting in bed, although...Wizard could still see him from the waist down, but she snapped her head around before Ranger caught her.

"I...I heard some of what you and Fighter said...I knew you loved each other but...to actually be there..." Wizard said softly.

"I want her with me, not only as a fellow adventurer. Her Grace even offered to bless us if and when we marry." Ranger said firmly.

"That's...that's incredible. Now...I would say not to break her heart-" Ranger cut her off.

"I would ignite myself on purpose before I do that! Besides...she would snap my neck, and other parts of my body on the off-chance I did, so no one would get a chance to avenge her pain." Ranger said.

"I'll bet. She's about as far from a pushover as a girl can get." Wizard said as she put her final pieces of clothing on.

"One of many reasons I love her dearly..." Ranger trailed off.

"O.k...not that this isn't touching, but we should get back with the others." Wizard said as they left to find Goblin Slayer, who, as it turned out, was back in full health thank to Sword Maiden...

* * *

She didn't get a chance to say it, but Fighter's birthday was today, and the team coincidentally agreed to have a meal together, and Fighter was given the canary by Goblin Slayer at Priestess' request, and Fighter agreed to use the canary to sniff out poison if need-be. Wizard also put her Repair magic to work on Ranger's armor and crossbow when she got the chance. Thanks to the dragon blood infused into them, Ranger's twin swords were undamaged by the flames. Fighter and Ranger had their own table, and they listened to the others discuss their next move, which was for the three new Silver Ranks, Warrior and Wizard to scout the catacombs for more goblins, while Fighter enjoys her birthday with Ranger, and GS and Priestess take care of their gear. But for now, the 2 lovebirds feasted on various seafood dishes that Water Town was famous for, some of elven and dwarven variety, as well as a few other types of food, including bread and meats. Ranger even took some of that sterilization potion earlier...just in case.

"So, how old are you now?" Ranger asked.

"18 years today. Not that far behind you aren't I?" Fighter said with a smirk.

"My birthday is about five and a half months from now." Ranger said.

"At least there should be plenty of goblins heads to bust between now and then. That should occupy you until I come up with a gift." Fighter said.

"Speaking of which..." Ranger said.

"This has been great so far; I don't need anything special, aside from you being with me of course." Fighter said as she took his hand.

"Of course, but until we finish off those damned goblins, what do you say we look around town?" Ranger asked softly.

"Sounds good to me." Fighter said as they stood and the two were off...

* * *

Before they explored the town, they resolved to do some errands with Goblin Slayer and Priestess, and maybe get some answers from GS...

"Last night, me and Wizard talked to some demon hunters who claimed that this place is free of them, or at least they're able to keep the demons at bay." Fighter said.

"What were they like?" GS asked.

"One was an assassin, one was a summoner, and the last was an axe-wielding werewolf, all were Bronze Ranked." Fighter said simply.

"Bronze? That's...heavy."Priestess asked in awe.

"You're telling me." Fighter said.

"Bronze Ranks aren't given away for nothing. These demon hunters must be tough." GS said.

"Tough? Since they apparently look after a whole town, they're each probably a one-man army!" Ranger said seriously.

"The assassin is a _woman_." Fighter teased and Ranger gave her a deadpan look which made her giggle.

"I'm not even going to go there...hey, where are you going?" Ranger asked as GS walked off.

"I'm going to get my weapons and armor repaired." He said.

"Me too. Yes, I know that replacing armor is faster than repairing it but...this is the first thing Goblin Slayer complimented me on so..." Priestess trailed off.

"We get it. You have anything for me boss?" Fighter asked with a small smile.

"We'll find out..." Ranger teased before they entered a blacksmith, who agreed to repair Priestess' chainmail, but also looked her over and asked to do a fitting, but Priestess obviously refused and Fighter gave the man a glare and tightened her fists to show she wasn't amused either, then Goblin Slayer...who still had his helmet on, put a bag full of his other armor pieces and took another sword and shortened it on the whetstone. Ranger looked over the place, but his swords were completely fine, even without the dragon blood infusion, and his armor was secondnd to none in the shop.

When they left, Fighter spotted Assassin sticking to the shadows and looking over what looked to be a stain on the wall...

"There! That's the assassin I mentioned either." Fighter whispered.

"Damn...I feel sorry for anyone that falls for her wiles. Then again...no I don't." Ranger said.

"It makes sense for an assassin to be like that; seduction tends to be...intangible for some people's defenses." Fighter said.

"You said she was a demon hunter right? Maybe we could give a hand if needed?" Priestess asked.

"No. Only the goblins concern us." Goblin Slayer said.

"Yeah, nevemrind the fact that demons are harder to fight, and that fighting goblins would be that much easier if we fought demons as well." Fighter said bluntly.

"Goblin Slayer...you killed that ogre we fought, and you said goblins are more troublesome, which by the way...is complete bullshit. How much worse could fighting demons be, especially with holy arts and a trio of experts with us?" Ranger said, and Goblin Slayer groaned.

"I guess, if they ask for our help, or if we get involved...we could deal with it." GS said.

"Wizard seemed rather taken with that summoner guy they had, although, he's a bit too stiff for my liking." Fighter noted.

"Heh, that's funny." Ranger said.

"What?" Fighter asked.

"Here I am noticing other women, now you're noticing other men. It's somewhat ironic." Ranger said.

"Hey, it's only fair." Fighter said firmly yet teasingly.

"Oh I'm not judging you." Ranger said defensively "I just didn't see it coming...somehow. Besides...I'm _way_ ahead of you when it comes to the number of other people noticed."

"And how do you know I've noticed other men?" Fighter asked seriously.

"First of all, I keep no secrets from you, and I doubt you keep secrets from me. Secondly...I know you." Ranger said and Fighter stared at him.

"You win this round mister." Fighter said which made Ranger laugh at her.

"As if there was something _to_ win." Ranger said before the team noticed there wasn't a single person in the area. "Uhhhh...where is everyone?"

"Don't know. Maybe-" The whole world going black cut GS off...

* * *

"What the hell?" Ranger asked before Priestess cast Holy Light to illuminate the place, and they were in a gloomy hallway with the street flowing with what looked like blood. The buildings around the street looked like they were made of bones and flesh, and Priestess' staff was the only light source in the entire area.

"Uhhh...where are we?" Fighter asked nervously.

"Hell... literally; we're in Hell." Assassin's voice came from behind them.

"As in..the demons' home?!" Ranger asked with genuine fear in his voice.

"Exactly. You must've asked for a chance to fight them, and they answered. Luckily, it always starts with them giving us a quiet-before-the-storm moment, and you're with a demon hunter. My two companions could be here any moment as well." Assassin said.

"How do we get back to the real world?" Fighter asked seriously.

"Kill the demon that dragged us here, or die and hope the Supreme God comes down here to raise us to Heaven in say, one or two thousand years. which here...doesn't mean much; every second in Hell, might as well be an eternity."

"Wait! Does that mean that if and when we return...we'll be centuries ahead in time?" Ranger asked.

"No. In Hell, a year is less than a second; when we get back, almost time will have passed at all." Assassin said.

"But you said each second was-" Assassin cuts Priestess off.

"I didn't mean that literally. Hell is about as undesirable as it's lord and master, but fortunately the Demon Lord is on Earth battling the Hero, so we should be fine, for now..." With that, an imp sprung out of the ground only for Assassin to stick her foot into it's brain without even looking at it. "Or maybe not..." The rest of the team then readied themselves for a brawl, and as if on-cue, dozens of imps sprung out from every corner and the team fought the horde tooth-and-claw, with GS and Assassin somehow doing most of the work. Assassin herself was hit several times but didn't even care; she dodged and even flipped over several imps, and pulled knife after knife after knife out of the sheathes on her bodysuit and plunged and threw them in every direction killing scores of imps, and when her targets died, the knifes teleported back to their respective sheathes, and Assassin used them again to kill more imps.

Goblin Slayer apparently saw them as little more than strong goblins, because his goblin slaying techniques went into hyperdrive; he kicked them into the distance or each other, sliced them apart with near-surgical precision, and even though he was hit several times as well, he barely flinched from each hit.

Fighter must've had a flashback to her first demon fight, because she tore the imps apart with the same fury and grace as she did back then, and Ranger stayed with Priestess to watch her back, until the imps had enough and retreated...only for a series of tentacles to grab Assassin and yank her away, and she had to slice the tentacles apart before she could get swallowed by a demon with a gigantic mouth...on it's torso! Then Assassin threw a small bomb into it's gut, then a stranger white powder started getting coughed out of the demon's "mouth" and it dissolved from the inside out.

"What was that thing...?" Priestess asked.

"A Glutton, and I seriously doubt I need to explain why it's called that." Assassin said.

"That was the _ugliest_ thing I've _ever_ seen..." Fighter said with a shudder.

"What did you throw into it's mouth?" GS asked.

"Silver powder. Demons aren't just vulnerable to holy arts, luckily for our Priestess friend, but also silver, and sometimes iron as well." Assassin said.

"There's no way those were the only demons in this area." Ranger said.

"Quite right, we should go find that demon who dragged us here. Luckily, he shouldn't be too hard to find." Assassin said as she walked off.

"Why?" Priestess asked.

"Because...he has us." Assassin said.

"What does that mean?" Ranger asked.

"Have you ever had moments where you didn't know what was going on but it still felt familiar? Well, this case will be confirmed to be real, since this demon used our own life forces to link us to Hell itself. Luckily, it's easy to sever, but that doesn't mean it's not potent." Assassin said.

"Any traps or information about the demon types we should know about?" Ranger asked.

"Well, traps are nearly omnipresent in Hell, even though they're more for intimidation or discouragement than anything else. As for demon types? Well, there's imps and Gluttons obviously, there's also Lusters and Wrathers, both of which are large and powerful, but tend to be aggressive to a fault, even by demon standards. There's also Prides which as basically elite imps and are called so because of their status among imps giving them massive yet fragile egos. And finally there's the archdemons, the generals of the Demon Lord's armies. Count yourselves lucky if we're able to avoid them." Assassin said.

"We fought one with an abbot who happened to be a demon hunter, but then, he was Gold Ranked and he's not here." Fighter said.

"All the more reason to be careful. Now...let's go see to our host..." Assassin said.

* * *

**Well...half the team is in Hell, where's the Doom Slayer when you need him eh? Although, technically Goblin Slayer is the next best thing, and they have Assassin who's...well, it's unorthodox to say the least, but she's part of a team off demon slayers, so...I don't know if that counts or not. Now, I know some people would love to see Doom Guy show up and shoot down demons at Goblin Slayer's side, but I'm not going to break the 4th wall _that_ badly. Anyways, just wait for the next part to see the team reunite, and kick demon ass...and rate, review, and share in the meantime...and stay tuned.**


	13. Chapter 8 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. You know how the 1st half of this chapter had a bunch of drama and then gave a taste of what's to come? Well, this is going to be the opposite. But that's already enough spoiling, I know what you're here for...so grab your Doom Guy helmets, fire up that Rip and Tear music from the Doom soundtrack, and get your demon kill counters ready. Let's _do_ this...!**

* * *

_"In the first age, in the first battle, when the shadows first lengthened, one stood. Burned by the embers of Armageddon, his soul blistered by the fires of Hell and tainted beyond ascension, he chose the path of perpetual torment. In his ravenous hatred he found no peace; and with boiling blood he scoured the Umbral Plains seeking vengeance against the dark lords who had wronged him. He wore the crown of the Night Sentinels, and those that tasted the bite of his sword named him...the Doom Slayer."_**  
**

* * *

After slaughtering that horde of imps, things just kept getting bloodier. Goblin Slayer and Ranger tore the demon soldiers who dared get close to Priestess apart, while Fighter rushed into the troops with seemingly reckless abandon; Ranger knew that Fighter was more than skilled enough to go into a group of monsters of any kind and keep herself alive. She dislocated arms, spin-kicked demons into each other, stunned them and punched their chests in, literally put her foot on one, then leapt off of it and punched another. Eventually, one of these Wrather demons Assassin mentioned burst through a wall, roared before rushing at her, then she swept her leg out to trip it, then she tried slamming a rock on it's head, only for it to punch the rock to pieces, jump back up, and she tried grappling it back to the ground, then it elbowed her back, picked her up, and Ranger put a crossbow bolt in it's head before it could bite her head off.

Assassin danced circles around every demon she encountered, and threw daggers to boot, most being one-hit kills to most demons she threw a dagger or three at. She even broke a limb or two before ripping out a throat, snapping a neck, or slamming her prey into the ground. Ranger couldn't help but notice her cold detachment towards them; sure demons were unpleasant as they came, but Assassin's coldness was pretty eye-opening. Just like Goblin Slayer, Assassin seemed to want absolutely nothing to do with the demons outside of putting them down, and...Goblin Slayer hinted at enjoying killing goblins, not that Ranger blamed him, but Assassin had a blissful look in the face. It was akin to the face Fighter made when she and Ranger made love; the connection was both fitting, and incredibly unsettling. Watching Assassin at work was like watching a demon in human form kill it's brethren.

Priestess kept he room lit while the team fought, although her nerves were clearly being taxed given how much was going on, despite Goblin Slayer and Ranger being there to aid her. Ranger also prioritized keeping Fighter's back covered with his crossbow, but he was clearly not used to fighting demons; Goblin Slayer had to take advantage of Ranger being defenseless, and therefore tempting for a demon to backstab, in order for GS to stop the demon and take it out. It was nice to have Priestess' Holy Light active; it wasn't just making vision possible, but also weakening the demons. The idea of fighting demons at full strength was chilling; they were a pain even when weakened.

Ranger himself, when he wasn't checking to see if Fighter needed a bolt put through demon's head, was helping Goblin Slayer either set them up so he could knock them down, the other way around, or just knocked them down by hacking them apart with his dragon blood swords. Goblin Slayer was also apparently not used to fighting demons, but at least he just accepted that it needed to be done, and if he can think like that, so could Ranger, so he ditched his crossbow, pulled his swords, and went out to give Fighter a hand, since that Wrather apparently hit her hard enough to not break her spine, but still cause he quite a bit of back pain, and he had to impale two Prides who were going to bite chunks out of her.

"No one takes bites out of you but me." Ranger teased.

"Really? You're going to reference _that_, _here_?" Fighter snapped before whipping around to grab another Pride and jam it onto Ranger's swords.

"Excuse me for trying to lighten the fact that we're literally in _Hell_!" He said before he threw some knives of his own, and it took all four of them to kill another Pride "Considering that I haven't done that in a while, that wasn't half-bad..."

"I'll make sure to reward your valiant efforts when we get back in bed." Fighter said bluntly before Priestess fires a beam of light into the background and it turns out...another archdemon was spotted, and the lights went out, until Priestess fired another beam of Holy Light which crippled it, then a third one finished the job, but...Priestess used up three of her now six miracles, and they had no idea how far the host demon was.

"You have to save as many of your miracles as possible." GS said,

"Archdemons are no joke Goblin Slayer. It took three miracles, which is pretty impressive since demons are weak to holy magics." Assassin said.

"I still have some holy water to use." Priestess said before using some on her staff. "There, I would've done so before but..."

"Hindsight is 20/20, and one Holy Light wiped out an entire swarm of imps before I mopped up the last ones." Fighter said as she and Ranger regrouped with the team.

"You've fought demons before? This is good..." Assassin said with a smirk.

"I haven't." GS said simply.

"Could've fooled me. You floored more imps than any of your teammates." Assassin said as she crossed her arms.

"I kill goblins. There isn't much difference." GS said simply.

"Lucky us. Anyway, follow me-" She shut up when she noticed her two teammates upon a ledge overhead. "My my...small world..."

"Assassin! I knew you'd be on this demon hunt as well." Summoner said.

"She's here too?" Wizard's voice said from behind him, then she and Warrior appeared. "Hey! Boss!"

"You guys are here too? How?" Fighter asked.

"We don't know. We were going through the ruins like we said we would then...we showed up here, and these two demon hunters showed up and saved our asses from some...Glutton thingies." Warrior said.

"It's lucky for you we did. Those "thingies" tend to take their sweet time eating their prey." Summoner said then Wizard gagged.

"Please don't make us think about that." She said.

"But we should still regroup." Summoner said before he took some power from the stone golem he had with him to make a staircase just large enough for the team to unite.

"So, anything we should know about Hell?" Goblin Slayer asked.

"Well you've seen the denizens no doubt, as for Hell itself...well, don't trust anything that looks good on the surface. Whatever you find might be the last thing you ever find." Summoner said grimly.

"In other words: stay away from treasures, anything that looks edible, or...?" Ranger trailed off.

"People who look like they need help. When someone dies and their soul is sent here, only the Supreme God can remove them." Assassin said.

"Is that common?" Fighter asked hopefully.

"Yes, there are cases were someone comes here then is pulled into Heaven right away, but those cases are rare. Most people spend an uncomfortably long time here." Assassin said.

"Can't imagine how long goblins stay here..." Ranger said.

"Who knows, and who cares? Let's find that host demon and leave." GS said as he went up the stairs.

"Uhhh, you _are_ aware that mind games are in the same league as the traps are right?" Summoner said which stopped GS cold. "Hell has a tendency to make people experience things that are far too good, or far too bad. Granted it's not common; the environment and demons themselves do a good enough job, but still."

"Let's just get to that host, and leave. Clean and simple." Ranger said as he followed GS with the team behind them.

"Unreal..." Summoner groaned and his team followed.

* * *

As soon as they left the area, the stone golem was jumped by a pair of Wrathers, and the Summoner took what little power he could from the golem, before blowing it up, then coated his fists in stone and punched several demon troops to a paste.

Goblin Slayer wasn't much worse; he was moving so fast and hitting so hard, it was hard to believe that Wizard didn't enchant his gear. A severed head there, a missing leg here, a kicked-in chest there, a shield-bashed skull there, a demon troop flipped and finished off by a teammate there...and Ranger thought _goblins_ were fodder to him...

Priestess simply stayed put and Fighter watched out for her this time, and most of her kills came from imps ambushing the two ladies from underground, or over their heads, when a demon managed to slip past Assassin's thrown knives. Wizard wasn't much help since her fire spell was useless against demons, but Summoner took her stone, and showed her how to summon a water elemental...

"Beast of the waves. Raise and swallow my foes." Summoner said as he held the stone out with both hands and water poured out of it in a swirling pattern, and with that, a genderless mass of living water came out, Summoner took some of it's power, gave it to Wizard who charged it up as much as possible, and the three shot the mass of water over an area no one else was covering, and crushed every demon in the area with the immense pressure. "You're a fast learner Wizard."

"I have a good teacher, and I was considered a genius in the academy." Wizard said with a smile.

"As these demons have, and will continue to learn." Summoner said before signaling his elemental to go forth and snuff out every demonic flame in sight before it exploded. "Well, at least we got some solid mileage out of it."

"Aren't you at all concerned for it's well-being?" Wizard asked in astonishment.

"I would be, if it was a living being." Summoner said before watching Werewold and Warrior actually tag team an armored Wrather. "Nice to see Werewolf is branching out..."

"Hard to believe; he's seemed pretty introverted back at that hall." Wizard said.

"He's not that bad once you get to know him. None of us are, even though people tend to give us our space." Summoned said.

"Um, why exactly did they pull us into Hell in the first place?" Priestess asked.

"Most likely, fear. Have you mentioned aiding us, or going after them, or wishing you could?" Summoner asked.

"Yes?" Wizard said cautiously to which Summoner facepalmed.

"Then no wonder we got dragged down here! The host demon is likely fulfilling a wish in it's own twisted way-" He stopped talking the moment Wizard gets snatched by tentacles and dragged away towards a Glutton, she grabbed onto a stone before Werewolf noticed, threw an axe at the Glutton, hit it square in the face and it drops dead, then Summoner helps Wizard up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm scared out of my wits and my leg's drenched in what I hope is spit, but other than that? Peaches and cream..." Wizard said dryly which made Summoner laugh.

"Here's hoping no Gluttons hear you say that." Summoner said.

"Not helping..." Wizard snapped.

"Hey! Less flirting, more fighting!" Ranger yelled as he, Fighter, and Goblin Slayer kept dealing with the demonic troops, then Summoner summoned another stone golem and had it charge into the horde and send them all flying. Werewolf then threw his axes into the hordes, barreling through several in the process, then took his werewolf form, and at Assassin's side, he charged into the demons as well and ripped through any in his way, and every demon that drew blood from him had their efforts negated by his healing ability, and then the demons themselves were shredded by his claws and teeth. Assassin did her usual dance of death by throwing daggers all over the place and weaving through the crowd like a needle. Goblin Slayer did what he could to the demons around him, but even he was outclassed by the dedicated hunters, so the team regrouped with Summoner to watch the havoc being wreaked...

"To think these guys do this all the time." Warrior said in awe.

"You don't become Bronze Ranked without being a heavy hitter." Wizard said.

"Or a fast one." Warrior said

"Or devoted to your cause." Summoner said.

"Just like Goblin Slayer is all three at once." Priestess said.

"He is Silver Ranked is he not?" Summoner asked.

"Yes." Priestess said.

"He's probably killed more goblins by himself than we have in combination." Ranger said.

"And that's including the number of demons we killed. Me and Priestess have probably killed the most demons out of our team, which is part of why we're Emerald Ranks." Fighter said.

"Good to know some of you have experience with demonic forces, and thanks to us, you will have a chance to arm others with this knowledge." Summoner said.

"Wait, how were we pulled into Hell?" Wizard asked while the massacre continued in the background

"Assassin was sent to inspect any demonic icons around Water Town; she must have found one and it was used to pull you here. We were pulled here because of these markings binding us." Summoner said showing his shoulder's mark.

"What about me with her?" Warrior asked.

"You were with myself and Werewolf when we were pulled into Hell. No one ever said demons fought fair; when they pull one person into Hell, everyone with them is fair game." Summoner said.

"Figures..." Fighter said as the massacre Goblin Slayer never removed his eyes from continued. "Hey, why aren't you fighting them?"

"They are not fighting goblins." GS said simply and the whole team was astonished.

"Nevermind that fighting other things can help goblin slaying in the future..." Wizard said.

"I've fought plenty of these demons." GS said as the massacre finally ended and Assassin and Werewolf came back.

"Had enough?" Summoned asked.

"Very much so, now let's find our host." Assassin said as she jumped on Werewolf's back and they were off.

* * *

Not even a minute later, after the team went up several flights of stairs, there was what looked to be a giant column of flesh with a mass of tentacles at the top, with about a dozen stubby feet at the bottom.

"And I thought Gluttons were hideous...what is that?" Fighter asked.

"A Luster. The host must have it guarding the path that leads to it." Assassin said.

"Why is it called a Luster?" Priestess asked.

"All you need to know is that if it grabs you...you won't want it to let go, and it won't until your heart stops." Summoner said grimly.

"That's got to be the most unsettling thing I've ever heard." Wizard said.

"All the more reason to put it 's the plan?" Ranger asked as he braced his crossbow.

"Give it a cold shower." Summoner said before pulling another summon stone "Servant of frost, bring your glorious chill to this place." With that, a genderless mass of ice, came out, and slid around in mid-air on rails of ice that it spawns and the Luster tries to whip it only for the ice to cut the tentacles or the elemental to avoid it's hits, then Werewolf charged it and tore into it's mid-section, while Assassin kept he tentacles that aren't busy...busy. "When Werewolf tears it open, it's heart will be exposed, when it's open, shoot it." Ranger then took aim with his crossbow, and Werewolf tore it's mid-section open several times, only for the wounds to heal, but Ranger spotted it's heart and steadied his crossbow to hit it at the right time, and when he got the chance...he took it, and the bolt sailed past Werewolf's head and hit the Luster's heart which killed it a few seconds after the thing squirmed like a dying fish then went limp.

"Gods above! Stop squirming and just die already." Wizard said as she cringed.

"This is Hell, what do you expect?" Summoner asked.

"Let's just kill that host and get out of here." Fighter said as she stood up, followed the three demon hunters past the Luster's corpse, then the team flinched when the Luster flopped it's tentacles around a bit.

"Relax, it does that sometimes." Assassin said.

* * *

Later still, the team spots what looks like a bog with a reddish-tinge in the water...

"Now, this is where the shit hits the fan. Remember how we said that Hell can play mind games with people? Well, this is what I meant." Summoner said.

"What is this place?" Priestess asked.

"A Bog of Woes. People who are sent here have painful visions placed into their minds, either of things they're ashamed of, afraid of, or even things that they shouldn't encounter." Summoner said.

"Luckily, we know a way to go through it safely, but whatever you do, stay with us. Stray too far from our path, and getting out will be a gigantic pain for all involved." Assassin said.

"It will help a great deal if you just focus on us moving and nothing else; if you get a vision...do _not_ focus on it." Summoner said.

"Alright." Goblin Slayer said as they followed the three demon hunters, and even though it must've taken a few minutes total, it felt like hours given how many heart-pounding visions, sounds, and even feelings they were bombarded with, but they followed Summoner's advice with not focusing on anything they sensed. When they finally left the bog, Ranger took a moment to look the bog over...only to have a vision of Fighter screaming her lungs out while tied to a post, naked, and being burned by torches by large shadowy figures, and Assassin yanked him back as he unconsciously walked forward to try and stop it.

"What is that place?!" Ranger asked as he came back to his senses.

"Do _not_ go back in there, understand? I don't care what you saw, it was not real." Assassin said firmly.

"Right..." Ranger whispered.

"Now can we get out of here?" Warrior said clearly losing his patience with Hell...

* * *

At last, they found a pit, with an alter in the center with an orange-red sphere of energy with streams of energy flowing in and out of it, and underneath it was what looked like an archdemon, only...smaller.

"That's him. That's our host." Summoner said.

"He's the one who dragged use here?" Goblin Slayer asked and Summoner nodded.

"So how do we get him to send us back?" Wizard asked.

"Kill him." Assassin said simply.

"It can't be that easy." Ranger said.

"No. Have you noticed he looks like an archdemon? That's because he _is_ an archdemon. A demon general to be precise." Summoner said.

"I only have two more miracles left; that's not enough to kill him." Priestess said.

"Then save them for healing, this will probably be our hardest fight yet, but it must be done." Ranger said.

"That sphere above him is a Hell Battery; he'll most likely use it to get stronger, heal himself, attack us, or all three at once. It needs to be dealt with or this will be a very one-sided fight. So magic users stay here and hit it when the rest of us distract him." Summoner said.

"He has to know we're up to something." Warrior said.

"Since he's most likely the one who sent those other demons after us, it's most likely, but as a general...he's too proud to let us slip through his fingers." Assassin said.

"Alright, lead the way." Warrior said as everyone but Priestess, Summoner and Wizard confronted the general.

"So...you' have literally fought through Hell to reach me? I should be most flattered." The general said.

"No, you should've left us be." Fighter said which made the general turn to face the team.

"And you should have left yourselves out of my affairs." The general said.

"Your affairs are an affront to our affairs demon." Ranger said.

"Ah yes, the noble demon hunters you dare call yourselves. Must be quite rewarding..." The general said.

"Beats using others for your amusement and trying to take what you can't have." Fighter said.

"Yet, you asked to come here so you could try to defeat us. Is that not the same thing?" The general asked.

"So _that's_ why you dragged us here." Warrior said.

"I was actually hoping that ogre I gave an army of goblins to would deal with you, but what can be said? Ogres and goblins never were very refined creatures." The general said.

"You gave him those goblins? Just to get rid of us?" Warrior asked in astonishment.

"I'm simply giving you what you ask." The general said as the Hell Battery hit him with a jolt of energy and he flew up slowly. "And showing you why you never should have asked-" With that, Wizard hit him with a charged fireball that sent him flying into the ground on the other side of the pit, and the team spread out to give the general more targets, then another stone elemental charged in, only to be blasted by the Hell Battery and be rendered immobile. Then Assassin threw some knives that bounced off the general's skin, and Goblin Slayer and Ranger tried slashing him several times, with only Ranger's blades leaving scratches, then the general grabbed the two, slammed them into each other and threw them into Werewolf and Fighter.

"You humans are pathetic..." The General said before looking at Wizard. "And you're cowardly."

"And _you're_ both." Wizard said as she launched another fireball that the general threw a powerful jab punch towards, which negated the fireball. Then the Hell Battery charged him with power, which healed the scratches on his body, and paralyzed GS when he tried to interrupt, then the general grabbed GS and started choking him, only for Fighter to charge the general, duck at the last moment, and supplexed him into the ground, which freed GS. Ranger was in awe; she used one of _his_ moves!

"You damned..." The general growled before getting punched by Fighter, then grabbing her fist, standing up, and making her scream by dislocating her wrist. Then Werewolf threw an axe the general caught and threw back, knocking Werewolf down and making him wait for his wound to heal, then Ranger sliced off the general's arm while he was distracted, then stabbed him in several vital spots, including the throat, but the demon survived each hit and hit Ranger in the face so hard he fell unconscious, and Fighter rushed to see if he was dead, but he was only knocked out. "How romantic...a woman goes to see if her man is still alive. When this is over, I'll put you both in one grave." With that he turned to the Hell Battery to recharge/heal again, then Priestess beamed it with Holy Light...which destroyed it. "No! What have you done?" Goblin Slayer then came up behind the demon general and jammed one of Ranger's swords through his neck, into his heart and watched him choke on his own blood.

"We've just made a way back home. Back to where the goblins we need to slay are." Goblin Slayer growled, then the Demon General went limp, dissolved and the world went black again, and GS, Priestess, Fighter, and Ranger were on the same street they were on before, with the people and everything there, and Assassin, Warrior, Wizard, Summoner, and Werewolf were gone.

* * *

"We're back...?" Priestess asked.

"It seems those demon hunters were telling the truth." GS said as they walked on.

"The others must've gone to where they were before, and hopefully they'll have solid info for us when we reunite for real." Fighter said.

"Too bad we didn't ask earlier." Ranger said.

"It's not like we had the option. Demon fights take alot out of you." Fighter said.

"Says the woman who had the living shit kicked out of her by them." Ranger teased and Fighter deadpanned.

"Nice to see you care. You're lucky I love you." Fighter said dryly.

"A truer statement never passed your lips. And I love you too." Ranger said half-jokingly.

"Nice to see your spirits haven't dampened." Priestess said both exhausted and relieved.

* * *

Later on, it was nearly twilight, and the four people reached a small plaza overlooking the sea, with people hawking goods of all kinds, especially sweets, and something called "ice cream", and Priestess got some for herself and GS, and since it was Fighter's birthday, she and Ranger got some as well. GS also gave the man in charge of the stall a silver piece which was enough for all of them. Apparently ice cream was mostly frozen milk with some kinds of fruit and sugar mixed into it. There was serious magic or science at work there by most people's standards.

"If we tell, or better yet, show people what ice cream is like, we'll be well on our way to becoming Ruby Rank." Ranger said as he tasted his ice cream while sitting next to Fighter on their own bench, while GS and Priestess sat on their own.

"Is our rank really that important to you?" Fighter asked seriously.

"Yes. Look, our rank might be superficial, but it's also a reflection of what we can do; how people see us. I want the people to see us as people they can count on with as much as possible. Not just with goblins, but with...like I said, as much as possible." Ranger said.

"You're not just the most selfless, courage, and best-looking man I know, but also apparently the most ambitious." Fighter said before she licked up some melted ice cream.

"My father told me that ambition is one of the manliest traits there is." Ranger said before watching Fighter lick up her ice cream. "Do you have any idea how much I want to throw you onto a bed whenever I see you lick something?"

"Drink some of that potion and you might get a chance later on." Fighter teased.

"I actually did before we left the Temple of Law." Ranger said which got her attention. "Hey, what better way to end your birthday than with a...well, an encounter?"

"Was it really that hard to say?" Fighter asked in amusement.

"Well...I was going to say "with a bang" but not only does that sound alittle dirty, but it's also the wrong context." Ranger said.

"Point taken." Fighter said before looking at Ranger's ice cream which was nearly melted. "Aren't you going to eat that?"

"I actually forgot I had it..." Ranger said before gulping his ice cream like it was water, then throwing it away. "Ahhh..." Fighter then chuckled at his comically intense way of drinking an innocent food item before Ranger pulled her to his side. "Happy birthday Fighter...I love you dearly."

"And I love _you_ dearly." Fighter whispered, before kissing him without a touch of tensity between them in their muscles, or the moment itself, before he pulled back to look at her face which had as much life as the day they met, made even more intense by his love for her enhancing it's flavor.

"So...we go from a fight through Hell itself, to this. How?"" Ranger asked.

"Don't know, don't care, just kiss me..." Fighter whispered against his lips before he closed what little distance there was and took her hand in his for good measure. They knew others were there so they couldn't get too crazy with the feelings, but there was no need; this wasn't just a bad place for being too sensual, it was also a bad time; love had the crown now, not lust. There would be plenty of time for that later when they had their fill of goblin blood.

"Ah! That's cold!" Priestess bellowed which made the birthday girl and her man break the kiss and chuckle to themselves at her misfortune.

"We're laughing at a girl who dripped ice cream on her lap...and we just got _out_ of Hell..." Ranger said then noticed Fighter's face falling.

"Ranger...in that Bog...what did you see that made you turn back?" She asked and saw him get upset but touched his face softly. "You can tell me..."

"I...I saw you burn..." He said...and her eyes widened but she kept her hand on his face. "You were tied to a post...without a shred of clothing on you...some shadowy figures danced around you, and poked you with torches one after another. I can still hear you screaming in pain..."

"Dear Supreme..." Fighter whispered in horror with tears stinging her eyes.

"I'm happy beyond words it wasn't real, and...it ironically makes this moment even warmer. Heaven is sweetest when you've tasted Hell first as my mother once said." Ranger said firmly.

"This also makes us even..." Fighter said which made Ranger snap his head to her. "When you caught fire, that was the single worst moment of my life. I always thought you would be the last of us to go down. I know you had a brush with death thanks to a goblin's knife, but this? I actually thought it was over and your final moments would be ones of pain, and nothing else, not even my love for you." She then started weeping into his shoulder. "I want this to end...I want us to get to actually live together, in peace, and to have a family together..." Priestess then noticed her crying, and watched quietly.

"And we will." Ranger whispered as he embraced her tightly. "I've even taken the liberty of asking Wizard to enchant some jewelry to increase our magical defenses so this doesn't happen again.

"You...you did?" Fighter asked with a still-sob-choked voice.

"Yes." Ranger said as he thumbed her tears away. "We _will_ have our own family, and we _will_ put the goblins down, just like you said at the pond." Fighter then smiled.

"Are you always going to mention that pond...?" Fighter asked softly.

"It's my favorite place in the world remember? And thanks to you saving me there...there's no hope of it being replaced with even the Temple of Law itself." Ranger said with a smile.

"It's actually my favorite place too...and you're my favorite man." Fighter whispered as she finally got a grip.

"Just like you're my favorite woman." Ranger then hugged her again and felt her suck in a deep breathe, then pulled back a few seconds later. Priestess couldn't help but smile herself; he was so sweet to her it must've put their ice cream to shame.

"Aren't you two just adorable?" the voice of Witch came from behind them and her Spearman friend was with her.

"What the...? Where did you two come from?" Ranger asked in astonishment.

"I called them here by letter." GS said bluntly.

"Because...?" Fighter asked.

"I wanted this flour." GS said taking it from Spearman.

"_Because_...?" Fighter asked.

* * *

It turns out, High Elf Archer and company found a magical mirror...after going down a pathway GS opened when he hit a stone coffin when that goblin champion bashed him, and it was guarded by a strange eyeball with tentacles covering it, that can melt whatever it hits with a beam of heat, and GS wanted to try a new trick, and this was definitely the time to test it. They did so by having H.E. Archer distract the eye, then Dwarf Shaman uses his Stupor spell to make it dizzy, then GS ruptured the sack of flour and threw it all over the room. Then they retreated to the hallway they came from, and Fighter shot an arrow at the eye after Priestess used a holy water empowered Protection miracle, and when the eye shot down her arrow...the flour actually detonated and the eye was reduced to a paste. The team then inspected the mirror...and their hearts sank: The goblins were using it as a gate, and shortly after they figured it out, some familiar sounds were heard behind them.

The goblins were coming...

* * *

**Yet another cliffhanger... Also, now Goblin Slayer is REALLY like a medieval Doom Guy; he now has the honor of having killed a demon general, who happens to be the same one who sicced the ogre on them earlier, which...may or may not be canon in the official story; it's easy to say this happens off-screen but whatever. Also...you have a point Engineer, but there are consequences to messing with demonic forces IRL (don't ask me how I know that), and you could say that Assassin is like "Doom Girl", essentially, even I do NOT condone officially tampering with Doom's lore; the movies already that enough and...look how that worked out. But just like Ranger and Fighter's experience in Hell demonstrated, what the dark side means for evil, the light side will always turn for good. Anyway, the demons had their turn, now it's back to he goblins, so rate, review, and share, and stay tuned.  
**


	14. Chapter 9

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. I...don't have much to say about the chapter itself...let's just cut to the chase shall we?**

* * *

"Get that entrance sealed up!" Ranger yelled and he, Fighter and Warrior grabbed as many benches, stones, and even ropes as they could, with Wizard using Transmute to make the barricade more durable, and Dwarf Shaman helping to tie the ropes together. Priestess meanwhile was praying for as many more miracles as the Earth Mother would allow, and only got one more so far; it would have to do...

"Their Champion is dead yet they're still after us." Fighter said as she took a swig of a stamina potion.

"They either have another, or as the Lizard Priest implied, they're that desperate to protect this mirror. You saw how many goblins there were on the other side." Ranger said grimly.

"Oh! Hey boss! I put a magic defense enchantment on this like you said." Wizard said as she pulled a belt buckle.

"Very good, put it on me." Ranger said as Wizard carried his order out, "Feel better now?"

"Much. It's going to be some time before I get over it completely but...I can deal with it for now." Wizard said softly.

"Just don't blame yourself." Warrior said as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Like the boss said, you couldn't have known."

"Right..." Wizard whispered.

"Here's hoping they don't have a second Champion..." H.E. Archer said as she readied their quivers, one for herself, and one for Fighter, who came to retrieve hers. "You think you can handle that bow now?"

"I could before, I can now." Fighter said as she showed her draw.

"Right...at least Ranger's burns healed nicely-" Fighter cut her off with a glare. "Hey, I'm dead serious; Ranger's burns healing is reassuring, both for this fight, and your thing, plus...that Reflect spell was unpredictable."

"I halfway expected you to rub salt in my wounds." Fighter said as she got a grip.

"What? That's a wound no one in their right mind rubs salt in!" H.E. Archer said as she checked her arrow supply.

"Can you fight?" GS asked behind them.

"Of course. Worry about yourself. Don't get knocked into a wall like you did last time." H.E. Archer snapped.

"That's not my plan." GS said.

"We have completed all of your suggested preparations Sir Goblin Slayer, and Sir Ranger and his team have completed theirs I see." Lizard Priest said.

"The defenses are pretty thrown-together though." Dwarf Shaman said with worry in his voice.

"It will do." GS said before turning to Priestess who was gathering stones after praying for another miracle. "Are you finished?"

"Yes. I've gathered all I can." Priestess said as she showed the tray full of stones she collected for Dwarf Shaman's sling.

"Here they come!" Warrior yelled as he and Ranger pointed their crossbows at the approaching horde.

"Fighter, you and Archer wait until they get close, and stay back here until they get through the barrier. Ranger and Warrior, stay where you are and use as many bolts as you can." GS said.

"Right." Ranger said as Lizard Priest summoned a Dragontooth warrior to stay with the two archers and tend to moving the mirror, which was apparently a pain to move.

"With these numbers we won't have to worry much about aiming." Dwarf Shaman said as the goblins came into view, all of which had light armor and weaponry, and their two archers took pot shots with their bows, with H.E. Archer shooting first, then Ranger and Warrior shot down goblin after goblin, and even Goblin Slayer took rocks from Dwarf Shaman and used a sling to join the goblin shooting spree. Wizard thought about shooting a precise fireball, but didn't want to risk burning the barricade; she was good with her magic but she wasn't a master...yet.

Dozens of dead goblins later, it became apparent that they were there on a mission that meant more than their lives; they went over their dead friends' bodies like they were just rocks to jump over, but the team didn't let up.

"Don't stop for anything people!" Ranger yelled as he shot another.

"Yeah!" Warrior yelled as he shot one himself.

"The swarm is too large!" H.E Archer said.

"Do not stop shooting!" Fighter yelled as she tried copying H.E. Archer's multi-arrow shot, with some success; she hit her target, but some arrows missed a vital spot, and the goblins that were hit were just crippled. "Dammit!"

"The ones you don't kill..." GS said as he slung another stone which beaned a goblin in the face. "...will slow the others down!"

"Right." Ranger said as he shot another before discovering a problem. "I'm out of bolts!"

"So am I!" Warrior yelled.

"Here!" Dwarf Shaman yelled as he tossed a pack to Warrior.

"I have one too!" Priestess yelled as she tossed one to Ranger.

"Thanks!" Warrior yelled to the two and the two crossbowmen kept shooting, until some arrows came back at them. "Wizard! That's your cue!"

"Reflect!" Wizard yelled as she put a bubble of clear energy in front of the barricade, and the arrows that would've gotten through, hit the goblins instead, if the archers didn't mindlessly hit their comrades first. Their lack of solid teamwork was as disgusting as the rest of their habits.

"Confound it! How is this mirror attached? It refuses to budge!" Lizard Priest exclaimed, then prayed to his ancestors for strength and his muscles grew at least three times their previous size and he hammered away at it's supports, then a roar was heard in the distance...and the goblin champion from before reared it's head.

"What the hell?! I thought I killed that thing!" Wizard said in astonishment

"Burns aren't always deadly, but I'll kill it this time." GS said.

"See to it that you do." Fighter growled before letting off another volley of arrows. It was clear she had a bone to pick with it, not that Ranger could blame her; he'd feel the same if she was burned up instead if him.

"They've gotten through!" Warrior yelled and just as he drew his sword...Goblin Slayer was already in the fray mowing down goblins like they were grass. "Hey! Save some for us!" He then jumped into the fight and hacked down dozens of goblins at GS's side, then the Champion came through, and smashes the ground between the two adventurers. Then Ranger shoots the Champion in the cheek making it roar then remove the bolt.

"Remember me?" Ranger yelled as he shoots it again, then the champion notices Wizard charging a fireball, and he sets up a Reflect spell...but that's what Wizard wanted. While the champion was focused on her, Warrior sliced off one of it's feet making it fall down, then Ranger pulled his own swords, and he and GS both sliced it's neck at the same time which severed it's head. Meanwhile, Dwarf Shaman and Fighter were smashing goblin heads left and right. Then Fighter goes to the mirror, and pulls as hard as she can with a shout of her own, and the mirror comes loose, then she, Lizard Priest, and the Dragontooth warrior hold it up.

"Face it towards the ceiling, and get underneath!" GS yelled.

"Right away!" Lizard Priest called, as the three flipped it over and let it fall as the others crushed the ever-increasing goblin horde who wanted to avenge their leader.

"Dwarf! Cast a spell towards the ceiling! Priestess! Use Holy Light!" GS yelled, and the two carried out his orders, and the remaining goblins were crushed under the ceiling's rubble. "That makes 94...!"

* * *

After the dust clears and the noise fades, the team comes out from under the mirror, and surveys the area and sees dozens of dead goblins crushed under the rubble...

"Brings a tear to the eye doesn't it?" Warrior said half-jokingly before looking at Wizard who was examining the headless champion. "You have gotten your revenge Wizard, and made him look pretty stupid in the process."

"Let's see him make me set our boss on fire now." Wizard growled; she was clearly taking this personally, for obvious reasons.

"It was still pretty smart to distract the champion while the rest of us took it down. That's something a ranger would do." Ranger said, and Wizard smiled.

"Thanks boss..." She whispered.

"Are we o.k.?" Priestess asked as she finally came out.

"No thanks to Mr. Strategic Genius over there. Was _that_ your plan Orcbolg?" H.E. Archer asked.

"It was a _little_ scary..." Priestess said.

"That's all you have to say?" H.E. Archer asked in astonishment.

"I guess I mean...I think I'm getting used to this adventuring thing." Priestess said.

"Ugh, this isn't normal..." H.E. Archer whined.

"_Why_ do you expect normality?" Fighter asked seriously.

"My Heavens, we had the gate mirror to protect us thankfully. It absorbed most of the debris and falling rubble, though it did prove to be rather heavy." Lizard Priest said as he and the Dragoontooth warrior set the mirror down.

"Yes, and you held most of the weight back there Scaly. I almost feel bad for the unsuspecting creatures on the other side. I wonder if these is how people traveled long distances in the olden times? Eh, Beard-Cutter? What do you think?" Dwarf Shaman asked.

"I don't know." GS said honestly.

"We're _very_ lucky we weren't underneath the city when we did that." Priestess said.

"If we _had_ been, I would've thought of another plan. So?" GS said as he approached the team.

"What is it...?" H.E. Archer asked.

"No fire, water, poison or explosions." GS said.

"True. Do you want a reward?" H.E. Archer teased.

"What?" GS asked before she kicked him down the ledge.

"What the-?! Have you lost what little sense you had before? You could've killed him!" Ranger snapped.

"He shrugged off an ogre's club, and a goblin champions' club, he'll be fine." H.E. Archer said casually.

"Thanks to not one, but _two_ holy women, and he's already been knocked around enough as it is!" Ranger said.

"Then fate is on his side-" Ranger cut her off.

"Don't do it again! Now, what are we going to do with that mirror?" He asked.

* * *

Goblin Slayer had the Dwarf Shaman encase it in concrete, then dropped it in the sewers so it could be used as a bed for that big white alligator that GS believes to be Sword Maiden's familiar, and then the team turned in for the night in rooms that Her Grace was kind enough to lend to each of them, but before Ranger could turn in, he went to the bathhouse to clean himself, and as tempting as it was to join him, Fighter spied on Goblin Slayer who talked to Sword Maiden about what was _really_ going on...and seriously regretted that choice halfway through their conversation...

Sword Maiden confirmed that the alligator was her familiar, and she implied that the Evil Sect was behind the attacks, and that the goblins had a deeper grip on her heart than anyone thought; she was actually trying to blame the goblins for the attacks so people would know her fears. Ranger was right to be concerned for her. Her Grace even begged Goblin Slayer for salvation, but all he could do was offer to kill goblins for her, even in her dreams. A tad illogical but the sentiment spoke for itself; Sword Maiden actually broke down crying and even whispered that she cherished him...

Fighter heard enough... her eyes burned with sympathy for the archbishop and she went to the bathhouse to find Ranger so they could finish her birthday on a happy note, if that was possible...

Ranger was drying his hair with a towel when she barged in, and he stood there taking in her melancholic face.

"What is it?" Ranger asked softly, to which Fighter responded by hugging him tightly.

"It's Her Grace...she knew the goblins weren't behind the attacks, but she wanted people to fear goblins like she did..." She whispered.

"Then...who _was_ behind the attacks?" Ranger asked in astonishment.

"The Demon Lord's minions...but that's not the worst of it..." Fighter said still weeping.

"Fighter...just take a moment to let it out, let's go to bed, and then we'll talk about it. Like I said, we can't have this information reaching stray ears." Ranger said softly.

"Right..." Fighter said before sniffling, then the two stood there holding and caressing each other for about ten seconds, then he got dressed completely, walked her to the room he woke up in, then got undressed again, and helped her do the same, which includes undoing her ponytail, before they got in bed together. "There we go. Now...what were you saying?"

"She...she actually had that alligator patrol the sewers looking for goblins, and...I think she's in love with Goblin Slayer." Fighter said before taking a moment. "She actually mentioned how much terror is in her heart; dear Supreme she was hard to listen to...she actually asked Goblin Slayer for salvation, but all he could do was kill goblins for her, even in her dreams."

"Then there is hope for her afterall. There are some things I failed to mention to her when we spoke after I woke from that Resurrection; I will have to say them before we leave here." Ranger said as he looked at the ceiling.

"What did you tell her?" Fighter asked.

"Mostly, I mentioned my...ordeal after our first goblin slaying quest, that I was dead wrong, and why, but also...I told her that the goblins that tormented her will have won if she continues to let her sorrow fester." Ranger said, which made Fighter stroke his face then press her lips to his, and he wrapped both arms around her

"You give me more and more reason to love you with all my heart...I'm certain she needed to hear that..." Fighter whispered with a sob in her throat.

"I also have to admit...the temptation to kiss her was quite powerful...but I only have one heart to give." Ranger said with difficulty.

"To be honest...I wouldn't fault you too much if you had given the state she's in." Fighter said with about as much difficulty.

"Fighter...she actually asked me how much you mean to me when I refused her advances. She actually asked if she could bless us, if and when we marry." Ranger said seriously.

"I...I don't believe this...to be blessed by the Archbishop herself, even if we _didn't_ do her a favor...we can _not_ turn her down." Fighter said in awe.

"And we won't. As soon as we're able to, we'll get her to marry us. But for now...your birthday is almost over, and we crushed both demons, and goblins today. Are you satisfied?" Ranger asked.

"Are you kidding? I had the time of my life. What girl _wouldn't_ like fighting through another world that was gross beyond words, and taking on creatures that try to kill, destroy, eat, and/or rape anyone and anything they encounter, all before hearing the archbishop bawl her eyes out with a heart-crushing lump in her throat?!" " Fighter said half-sarcastically before she took a moment to calm down before laying down on his chest "I'm sorry I ranted at you..."

"You have every right to be beside yourself, my love and life." Ranger said.

"Thank you for understanding...can...can we please end this day correctly?" Fighter asked, then Ranger stroked her hair a few times as he pulled her in for a heart-melting kiss.

"Does that answer your question?" Ranger asked rhetorically before kissing her again, then caressed her up and down, actually avoiding her fleshy parts; love had the crown for now, not lust. Fighter then caressed his lovely muscles and hair, then pulled away so they could see each other with the moon shining on them, and they looked at each other as if bewitched. They laid there for about ten seconds enjoying each other's charms, then Fighter grabbed his hand, and put it on her butt, then he put the other hand there and started kneading which made her scooch up so he could lick her nipples as well and she started moaning, which made him work her ass and nipples even more, and she eventually started gasping in pleasure as he licked both nipples like they were covered in honey. Eventually she pulled away from him.

"Alright, stop! You're going to give me a heart attack...treat the rest of me too." Fighter said while still gasping.

"As you wish, birthday girl." Ranger teased, then he laid her down, then he caressed her up and down, from her lower thighs, to her flat yet dense stomach, to her generous bosoms, to her neck which he planted a kiss or two on before moving his hands back down as he kissed her parts lips sweetly, which removed a chunk of her tension.

"May I ask if you would treat Her Grace this way?" Fighter asked softly which stopped Ranger dead in his tracks.

"Only if you didn't have my heart already." Ranger said seriously before sucking on her neck and caressing her legs for another five seconds "Are...are you ready yet?"

"I think so..." Fighter said as she parted her legs and waited for him to finish their encounter, and she gasped as soon as she felt him fill her, and gasped even more as he went forward and back in her womanhood, and the pleasure drowned out everything that weighed her down over the past several hours. Their time in Hell, the goblins, her anguish over the Sword Maiden's unjust encounter, all of it drowned in the ocean of euphoria she was swimming in now, and it was all thanks to the man she once saved. The moans he loved hearing from her were his reward for his efforts, and they fed the fire pushing him to make this as sweet for the goddess beneath him as possible, all climaxing with a elongated moan from the both of them that signaled the end of their swim, but she wasn't done yet...

"Ranger...I...can you handle more?" Fighter asked.

"I believe so, and this time, you _can_ drive the cart." Ranger said between gasps, and with that, she sucked in a deep breathe, and threw a massage into the mix, started with his torso, arms, and then flipped his over and treated his legs and feet. "Ugh, that's so much better...I'm losing aches I didn't even know I had..."

"You removed similar aches from me not a minute ago. In fact...do this to me when I'm done." Fighter said as she treated his shins and calves, then massaged his thighs, ass, back, shoulders, and neck, before moving to the arms, and flipped him over again, and noted that his manhood was stiff again, before he touched her face and she kissed him and laid down on his chest with his arms around her again. "Now...return the favor." She then laid back on her front and hummed as he massaged her entire body, then back up, paying just as much attention to the strings of muscles in her body as she did to his, before flipping her over, and treating her abs and breasts, before she pushed him onto his back. "Alright...now...I do this to you." She then grabbed his shaft, and lowered herself onto it, and it was both alien, and familiar at the same time.

She allowed as much of his manhood into her as she felt comfortable with, then moved herself up and down when she braced her upper body on her hands and Ranger gripped her breasts to keep them from flopping around, and her movements picked up speed, and he had to keep himself from moving with her since...who knows how in-synche they'd be in, and this wasn't the time or place to experiment in..that way. She eventually pressed her breasts into his chest, slowed her pace, and lashed tongues with him in a sudden burst of lust, then she picked up her pace as her lover gripped her butt and squeezed whenever it loosened in-between thrusts, and eventually the two climaxed and she collapsed on top of him, completely spent.

"Is _this_ enough to make up for all the bullshit we went through today?" Ranger groaned.

"Oh yes...that...and more..."" Fighter said softly.

"I see...do you not recall the good things as well that happened today?" Ranger asked.

"Of...of course I do. Especially the time you got me ice cream, and just now when we discussed Her Grace offering to bless our future marriage." Fighter said.

"But that's in the future like you said, for now...let's just enjoy this while it lasts..." Ranger said, and with that, the two lovers laid there and enjoyed the afterglow of their intimacy, which returned with a vengeance after the logic in them retreated into their minds to wait it's turn; this was a time for feeling, not thinking, right up until the Dream God claimed them for his kingdom for the night.

* * *

"...Ranger...Ranger!" H.E. Archer yelled as she shook him and Fighter awake. "Don't tell me you screwed _that_ many of each other's brains out."

"First off, the number of brains we screw out of each other is none of your ...yesterday was _not_ a good day, all-things-considered-" H.E. Archer cuts Ranger off.

"Yeah whatever, just join the rest of us outside alright?" She said as she left the two to get dressed.

"This was both the best, and the worst birthday I've ever had at the same time..." Fighter groaned as she stirred.

"It's not even my birthday and I can sympathize." Ranger said before touching her hair.

"Do you...do you think we overdid it?" Fighter asked cautiously.

"Very much so...but that just means we should tone it down for now; this is hardly the first time we've gone too far in the wrong direction." Ranger said.

"That's true, but...I thought the more we do...this, the more it would drown out... I've never been more upset over being right; I feel like I narrowly avoided drowning in a literal ocean." Fighter said.

"Like I said, we just tone things down, and things will pick back up." Ranger said.

"I sincerely hope so; I cannot imagine fighting goblins like this." Fighter said as she sat up and held her head.

"For what it's worth, my 18th birthday was a clusterfuck in it's own right." Ranger said which got Fighter's attention.

"How so?" Fighter asked.

"Where do I even start...? My training went all sideways; I made mistakes that I'm _very_ glad no one else saw, I had a case of allergies that would not leave me alone, I even drank some juice that turned into cider and spat it on a decorative piece of cloth that was a pain to wash." Ranger said.

"Yeesh. Well...at least we have yet another thing in common." Fighter said.

"No kidding. Well, hopefully we can get back home, get whatever piece of our spark we lost back, and put all this behind us, Supreme willing..."Ranger said as he finished getting dress. The two then got dressed, and Ranger requested an audience with Her Grace, alone, before the team left Water Town...

* * *

"Ranger? I'm happy you all came to help, but...may I ask why you wanted to see me yourself?" Sword Maiden asked when he reached the hall they first met in.

"Not only because I wanted to thank you on their behalf for calling us to such a lovely place, but also because I failed to share some things with you. Things I believe could save even more of your mental well-being." Ranger said seriously.

"Then please...wait no longer." Sword Maiden said before Ranger looked around to make sure they were alone.

"Under Goblin Slayer's supervision, my team wiped out hundreds upon hundreds of goblins, with him doing at least half of the work himself. One of the best examples is when he, Fighter, and Wizard burned down a fortress full of them, and we mopped up the survivors who managed to escape the inferno. Without him, we've killed hundreds more, some of whom were going to raid a town and capture or kill everyone there. We've even saved a mining camp from a dragon, and we've taken the liberty of using it's blood to enhance our blades. There's also the ogre Goblin Slayer killed after we cleared out the ogre's goblin army. The icing on this cake is that just yesterday...we met some demon hunters who were looking into any possible demon activity, and we were all dragged to Hell itself to face the same demon general who empowered that ogre he struck down, and Goblin Slayer used one of my blades to strike him down." Ranger said, and saw Sword Maiden drink in the news like it was water.

"This...this is extraordinary news..." She said overwhelmed by the intensity of what she was hearing, and sensing the truth of it.

"Fighter has told me what you said to Goblin Slayer, but rest assured that the goblins' days are _numbered_, and your suffering is being avenged every day. We have done _everything_ to improve our skills, knowledge, strength and equipment, and we will not stop until the last drop of goblin blood is spilled, with or without Goblin Slayer himself, and just like he said: he is a monster to them. If that's true...what does that make myself and my team?" Ranger said, then Sword Maiden took his hand with her head bowed, trembling with newfound hope.

"Ranger...please go. Go tell your team that I will spend as much time as I can praying for your success to be consistent, and fruitful! And let me know the moment you propose to that blessed woman who holds your heart." She said while shaking, and Ranger returned the grip on her hand.

"I will Your Grace. Farewell." Ranger said. He then walked out and joined his team outside the Temple of Law, went to fetch his horse, whom he didn't even know he missed, got their belongings, especially their funds, and then...someone approached rapidly...

* * *

"I'm coming too!" Summoned said as he rushed to catch them.

"What? But...your team?" Fighter said.

"I actually left summoning spots all over town, and other towns, but not the one you all hail from. If there's possible demon activity there, then I could summon my team and we could deal with it there." Summoner said.

"I suppose that makes sense...hop in." Ranger said, and with that, Ranger, Fighter, Warrior, Wizard, and Summoner hopped into their cart and the others hopped into another cart on the way back home...

* * *

**Happy birthday to Fighter indeed... Anyway, Didn't I tell you that Goblin Slayer would have a more serious role in later chapters? I mean, he kills a demon general in the previous chapter for crying out loud. I'm happy you gave my story a 2nd chance Hobo Robo, and I hope this tells the rest of you that hope might be infamous for people being cheesy about it, but the argument in it's favor is far from powerless. And...whether it's true or not, I don't care; making death threats over a review is disgusting, and like any civilized person, I do NOT support it. Yes, Hobo Robo could have gone about this better, but that doesn't justify wishing him ill. That goes for EVERYONE reading this. As for Assassin? Well, she leads a team of demon hunters; I fail to see how that wouldn't be awesome. Now, I'm not going to spoil any details but I have something HUGE planned for the end of this story, so, until then, rate, review, share and of course...stay tuned.**


	15. Chapter 10 Part I

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. Sorry I've been away for a couple of days, but I've been pretty beside myself, and had a few things to do, but I'm not stopping this story until it's over! This story's lack of completion is like my own personal goblin to slay, and we all know how welcome goblins are. Anyway, this is going to be another training/socializing chapter, and in my opinion, the most necessary and the most serious one, so...let's get on with it.**

**Review response: You've been reviewing quite often Engineer1869, and...I'm a bit curious as to why no one else is. I hope you're all alright. And...yeah, fighter had a pretty turbulent birthday to say the least, but at least she got to have some fun at the end of it. As for improvisation? Holy shit that's a good point; good thing the team stayed with Goblin Slayer as much as they did, because just like him, they have dedicated arsenals, but aren't above using pieces of the environment to their advantage.**

****Also...I'm NOT going to write a harem between Goblin Slayer and a bunch of girls. If you want that, write it yourself, so please...leave me be. ****

* * *

True to his word, Goblin Slayer treated the team to some ice cream, which pleased the entire team, especially Lizard Priest. Goblin Slayer was asked in the cart he was in about how ice cream is made, and when the team got back, after they set up their stuff in their rooms, sent their funds to the bank, and Fighter changed into her old outfit while the other was being treated and cleaned, the team traveled with Goblin Slayer to try making some ice cream themselves.

The result was similar but not quite similar, but that was fixed by adding some more fruit into the mix, and Lizard Priest could've probably eaten the whole gallon if the others hadn't been there. The team even tried waiting for the ice cream to melt and drink it, which...did have it's own appeal, but hey, to each their own. Even Cow Girl got involved and joined the party; she actually helped make a second batch which the team stored in a magically-cooled canister, and hauled it to the cart, with the three Silver Ranks getting half to themselves, mostly probably going to Lizard Priest obviously. When the ice cream bash was done and over with, the team got back in their carts, and took off with Cow Girl pushing her own cart at Goblin Slayer's side.

"Why not just have a horse pull that cart?" Ranger asked.

"Why _would_ I? In case you didn't notice, I'm stronger than I look." Cow Girl said proudly.

"No doubt." Ranger said with a small smile; the girl's spunk was infectious. "But unless you get your hands on some enchanted apparel, you're never going to be stronger than a horse, or faster for that matter."

"Tell you what, I'll get a horse the moment the strain get too much for this body of mine to handle alright?" Cow Girl asked.

"Alright..." Ranger said hesitantly; he knew she meant her muscles and bones but...her figure itself was _enchanting_.

"Now, as for _you_..." She said to Goblin Slayer. "How was your trip?"

"We killed lots of goblins." GS said simply.

"And demons. And got rid of a gateway mirror, and met the archbishop, and celebrated a birthday..." Warrior said.

"Mine that is." Fighter said.

"Well happy belated birthday! Wait...you fought _demons_?!" Cow Girl asked.

"Yep, a whole swarm of them. Some demon general actually dragged us and a few demon hunters to Hell itself in order to stop their crusade and finish what an ogre started with the rest of us." Warrior said.

"Sheesh! And you're all o.k.?" Cow Girl asked.

"Looks that way. And Goblin Slayer used one of _my_ swords to kill him." Ranger said.

"Did he now?" Cow Girl asked before turning to GS "Way to go outside your comfort zone."

"I also killed that ogre he mentioned. It's no big deal." GS said.

"No big de-? Don't you give us that "goblins are more important" garbage; killing an ogre, let alone a demon _general_ is nothing less than incredible." Wizard said in astonishment.

"Goblins _are_ more impor-" Wizard cut GS off.

"I said don't give us that because we know that by default!" Wizard yelled before taking a moment to calm down. "Look, goblins might be vicious bastards, but they're no where near as strong as the two other kills I mentioned, especially when it comes to individual power, and...that does demand credit."

"She has a point." Cow Girl said.

"I see..." GS said.

"So...the archbishop, the Sword Maiden...what's she like?" Cow Girl asked curiously.

"She's...she's not good. Let's just say she and Goblin Slayer have more in common than they should." Ranger said.

"Please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it means..." Cow Girl said seriously.

"I wish I could." Ranger said.

"Not her too..." Cow Girl whispered.

"Yes, her too. But her spirits were lifted before we left, and...she knows about me and Ranger; she even wants to bless us when we finally marry." Fighter said.

"Does that mean you're engaged?" Cow Girl asked excitedly.

"Not yet, but once the right time comes, we will take it and not let go." Ranger said.

"Well...good luck with that." Cow Girl said with a smile.

* * *

When they got back to town, the three Silver Ranks went off to do their own thing, and Cow Girl went to get some supplies, but not before trying to hug Ranger...only for him to refuse her since "once is quite enough", and...one look at Fighter who was smirking/raising an eyebrow at her made her ask what she was thinking humorously, then go do her own thing, then the team went inside to talk to Guild Girl.

"Oh, welcome back team...Goblin Slayer. How did it go?" She asked as an adventurer she was talking to left.

"We killed lots of goblins." GS and Wizard said at the same time. "Seriously Goblin Slayer, you are as predictable as the sunrise..." This exchange got a laugh out of the team, and especially Guild Girl.

"Anyway, we killed hundreds of goblins, including a Champion, which nearly killed us by the way, got rid of a gateway mirror they were using to sneak into the town, and even took out some demons, including a general alongside some demon hunters, one of whom came with us." Ranger said "Speaking of which, where did he go?"

"He went around to look for any traces of demon activity in town, and asked us to involve him in our next training session." Priestess said and Guild Girl's eyes widened.

"Sounds like you had...quite an adventure. I have half a mind to give you each a Ruby Rank right now, but you just missed the time for exams." She said.

"When's the next one?" Warrior asked.

"I can set one up tomorrow." Guild Girl said.

"That would be nice. But in the meantime, any goblins that need slaying?" Warrior asked.

"Not since you left actually. They've really died down over the last few days; no one's even mentioned them." Guild Girl said.

"So...either we've done something to their numbers...or they're amassing their forces." Ranger said which alarmed his whole team.

"All the more reason to keep on our toes." Fighter said firmly before Ranger checked the quest board.

"Anything good?" Wizard asked.

"The mining camp we saved from that dragon is a bit underworked; we could stop by the monastery and then go see what we can dig up." Ranger said.

"Yes please! We've got to see Father Superior again!" Priestess said excitedly.

"Then it's settled." Ranger said as he grabbed the flier. "Let's work on our equipment and maybe some training in then head out." GS then turned to leave. "Hey, where are you going?"

"There's no goblins." GS said simply.

"You could at least help us train." Ranger said, which made GS sigh.

"Meet me at the grounds..." GS said before walking off.

"We've got some progress done with him while he was away, but we've still got miles to go." Priestess said.

"It's still nice to see he's branching out. See you later." Guild Girl said cheerily before the team waved and left.

* * *

When the team got back to their apartments, Wizard put her magic to work by using her Transmute spell to make Ranger's twin swords a bit longer, and make both his and Warrior's crossbows go from having metal parts of a wooden frame, to a solid metal frame, and even gave them buttstocks which not only made them easier to shoot, but also made them competent melee weapons; now the two of them could bash goblin skulls with them. Wizard even turned Warrior's hammer into solid metal for good measure, and put an enchantment on his gauntlet that made a thrown weapon, or even object return to his hand when he threw it, which improved his long range game even further. She also put a thunder enchantment on his hammer which he practiced with and the effect ranged from a minor discharge that could stun his foes, to a supercharged hammer throw that could knock a hob on it's ass, and amazingly...the hammer wasn't damaged at all when they tested it.

"Why didn't I get this hammer sooner?!" Warrior asked barely containing his excitement.

"Because I didn't think of it, and we didn't have the time." Wizard said simply.

"Oh well, if we encounter another goblin horde, I am _so_ using this thing on them!" Warrior said.

Priestess went to the temple to check on the girls the team rescued from the goblins, and...some weren't much better off than before, but others she recognized as being a help around the temple itself in various ways. She didn't dare go inside to greet them since it was still a sore subject, but she had to know about their progress, then she went back home and then thought it would be wise to ask Abbot if the Supreme God could give her some miracles to work with, in addition to what the Earth Mother gives her. She thought it was possible and probably a good idea to try, but was smart enough to not get her hopes up too much; even though the two deities were mostly on good terms, asking for both their help might have consequences of some sort, but she wouldn't know unless she asks the elder priest.

* * *

Fighter went to get her newer outfit, and brought it home in time to watch Warrior test his new hammer, then went to go put her newer outfit on, and then when she got down to her underwear...she looked over her older outfit and sat down to think...

"Fighter?" Ranger asked as he approached her door. She looked to see him but reacted no other way; they saw each other naked, and even slept together naked countless times...not to mention they had each other's virginities.

"I...I was thinking about how I got this outfit. It's not just an alternative to the one over there; my father gave it to me when he deemed me good enough to carry on his legacy..." Fighter said softly, then Ranger approached her, removed his undershirt, and held her hand.

"He'd be proud of you beyond words. I know _I_ am..." Ranger said softly.

"Ranger...hold me..." Fighter said, and she sounded so hurt that he held her as close and as tightly as possible, and they stayed that way for at least five seconds "I love you...with all my heart."

"And I love you with mine." Ranger whispered in her ear and she shifted in his arms as he felt her tears hit his shoulder which of course got his attention. "You miss him don't you?"

"I didn't even know I did until now, but I believe I've honored his memory by standing with you and everyone else." Fighter said with a sob.

"You _have_." Ranger said as he pulled back and held her face with both hands. "And I'm certain he'd be happy for you and me. Her Grace said to me that our love must be preserved at all costs, her exact words, and I've fallen in love with you not once but several times, in several ways, and I doubt I've repeated the cycle for the final time."

"Ranger..." Fighter whispered with a small smile, and with that, she threw her arms around him and sat there practically crushing him in an embrace. She's been through so much recently that she actually had no more tears to shed, she didn't know if that was because she gained the strength to handle it somehow, or because she was getting numb to it, but she didn't care. She was being held by the man she loved dearly, and one she knew loved her the same way, and that drained her focus like a leech and had every right to do so. "How do you think you're parents feel about us being together?"

"From what I've seen...they both are on the same page as our teammates. But even if they didn't, they will." Ranger said.

"I hope so." Fighter said softly, and her mental exhaustion wasn't subtle. "Ranger...about our night together..."

"Fighter, I told you, we just need to tone it down." Ranger said.

"Please hear me out..." Fighter said urgently and Ranger shut up right away. "I...I enjoy every time we join our bodies like that, but in that moment...I believed that was the only way I would overcome the sorrow I felt, and...I was only half right. It did cleanse my sorrow and I'm grateful beyond words that we have chances to be intimate like that, but...like you said, it was too much all at once. I'm not making that mistake again." She then pulled away and looked him right in the face. "The next time we make love...it'll happen correctly." Ranger responded by smiling at her, pulling her in for a deep, and sweet kiss which dissolved any ill-feelings in the air, which was further inflamed by her semi-naked breasts pressing into his iron chest.

"If it were up to me...we would be able to take each other right now..." Ranger whispered lustfully.

"Did you drink some potion?" Fighter asked seriously which made Ranger stop and think.

"Good point..." Ranger said.

"I do appreciate the gesture though." Fighter said before taking one of his hands and putting it on her butt. "You can still touch me of course..." With that Ranger put the other hand on her butt and kneaded in the usual way which she couldn't help but reward with a moan and she pushed forward and leaned on him "I always find it amazing how you can be so gentle...yet so violent with just as much ease."

"Like my father said: A man who isn't able to both love _and_ fight, is no man at all." Ranger said huskily which gave Fighter goosebumps.

"You, my good sir, have definitely proven your mettle in both those cases..." Fighter whispered in his ear before stopping him. "If you keep that up, I won't be able to sit down."

"You said that before..." Ranger teased which made Fighter chuckle.

"Believe it or not, the way you handle me like this, and other ways for that matter...it makes my blood _race..._but I _do_ have limits. Now, before I change my mind and ask you to bite chunks out of me, let's check on the others." Fighter said.

"Yes ma'am." Ranger said before giving her ass one more squeeze, and she patted his chest softly, which make him laugh at her before they finally left...after she put her new outfit on, and he went to put his armor on.

* * *

While Ranger was "handling" Fighter, Summoner arrived and watched Wizard read her book, until she noticed him standing there...

"Summoner! Don't scare me like that." She said in alarm.

"Sorry, I waited here until I could talk to you." Summoner said honestly and Wizard took a moment to calm down.

"Anything?" She asked.

"No. No demonic activity anywhere." Summoner said.

"So...would you mind sharing some secrets with me?" Wizard said as she took out the summon stone she bought from him.

"You bought it from me and didn't know how to use it?" He said in amazement.

"I thought I could figure it out later on. Now, will you teach me or not?" Wizard said impatiently and Summoner stared her down a bit. "Now...how do you make these stones?" Wizard asked before Summoner signaled her to wait, then went outside and came back with a normal rock. "What in..?"

"Summon stones are just rocks with special marks on them." Summoner said as he handed it over. "Now, focus on it."

"That's easy." Wizard said.

"Imagine what you want from it." Summoner said.

"That's easy too." Wizard said.

"Here's the part that's not...you're not just pouring magic into this, you're pouring your very being into it, and then yanking it back out. If you do it right, you have one more summon stone, do it wrong...and your health with suffer. It will not kill you, but you're going to either be lethargic for a while, or even fall ill." Summoner said and Wizard sucked in a breath.

"No wonder you charged me so much for the other one; these things sound dangerous." Wizard said daunted.

"Dangerous and useful. Summoning is nearly as advanced as enchanting for a good reason. Have you noticed my summons crushing that demon horde alongside my two companions?" Summoner said.

"I saw you draw power from one that's for sure." Wizard said in awe.

"If you keep this up, you will have this power." Summoner said.

"I...I like the sound of that..." Wizard said with glee.

"I couldn't help but notice that you know how to enchant...if you keep this up, you'll be an archmage." Summoner said proudly.

"Guild Girl said we're on our way to being Silver Ranks in less than a year." Wizard said.

"Hey, the archbishop became a Gold Rank in less than half that time. Granted it was because she helped beat the fucking Demon Lord, but still." Summoner said.

"Speaking of demons...what made you start hunting them, if I may ask?" Wizard asked.

"Well...I don't know about Werewolf's case, but Assassin started hunting them because one of them possessed her father and made him try to...well, attack her on a, pretty intimate scale. She was actually forced to kill him, then the demon left his corpse and tried doing it himself, then a monk of some sort appeared and purged it, Maybe Werewolf simply joined her cause after hearing about her tale; can't say I blame him." Summoner said.

"And you?" Wizard asked.

"Well...my case isn't much better..." Summoner said with pause. "Long story short...a Glutton ate my mother right in front of me. It tried to eat me too, but my older sister had a fire elemental burn it to death before it got a chance to."

"Dear Supreme..." Wizard said in horror. "Summoner..."

"Then I got involved in summoning myself, my sister is probably on the other side of the country right now hunting demons herself, while I'm doing the same here. My older brother was at the sage's academy last I heard from him." Summoner said.

"You have two older siblings?" Wizard asked.

"Yes. I'm the youngest of three. I've...I don't know why I'm sharing this; we demon hunters don't share out secrets for a reason." Summoner said.

"Well, your secrets are safe with us." Wizard said softly.

"Thank you...I must get going; who knows when I'll pick up a trail of some sort." Summoner said as he then went for the door before Wizard put her hand on his shoulder.

"May I ask how old you are?" Wizard asked.

"Two months ago, I turned 23. And I'm in no hurry to start a family of my own; I'm certain either of my siblings started one already anyhow." Summoner said.

"I understand. I turned 17 myself about two months ago." Wizard said and Summoner turned to look at her "I'm done..." With that, Summoner turned to leave but stopped at the last moment.

"You know that lightning enchantment you put on Warrior's hammer? My brother is a storm mage; he would have a blast if he heard of you doing that." Summoner said.

"I'll bet." Wizard said with a small smile, which Summoner returned as he left.

"Nice of him to drop by." Fighter said with a knowing smile on her face.

"Were you spying on us?" Wizard asked.

"Oh come on, it's hardly spying if it's happening in plain sight. You've been treating him the way I've treated Ranger." Fighter said.

"So he's a fellow magic user and a demon hunter to boot, that's quite interesting. Besides, he's six years older than me." Wizard said.

"That means less than you think." Fighter said.

"Look, I doubt anything's going anywhere with him, and I don't want to get in the way of his hunting." Wizard said.

"Say that again when you get involved." Fighter said.

"For crying out loud, Witch was once around that Revenant guy and spoke quite fondly of him, but said that loving someone and liking their company are different. Remember?" Wizard said which made Fighter think.

"Good point..." Fighter said. She loved Ranger of course, but...there were times when they needed to be alone, but...maybe they never got tired of each other's company because they were lucky with their timing, or because they took time for themselves without the other knowing. But there was nothing to complain about regardless.

"So...shall we get going?" Ranger said to the two girls as they went to fetch Warrior, Priestess and even Goblin Slayer for some training...

* * *

"So you don't train anywhere special?" GS asked.

"Not as far as you can call this special." Ranger said as he watched some lower ranks sparring. "But I think we should answer a question..."

"What question?" GS said before Ranger kicked him to the ground before GS got his barrings.

"Who is better?" Ranger said as he drew his swords and everyone stopped and took a seat; it wasn't every day you saw Goblin Slayer challenged, and from the looks of things...his challenger was dead serious. Ranger then tore off his cloak and threw it at GS, only for it to get cut in half, and Ranger's sneak attack was foiled, and he had to sidestep a thrust to the torso, then Ranger struck three times and each hit was blocked by GS' shield, then Ranger stepped on his shield, and jumped off of it to get some spacing. These two adventurers knew each other by heart, so surprising each other was a waste of time and effort; this was about as even a match as it could get. Despite Ranger having superior equipment and maybe more diverse skills, Goblin Slayer had experience itself on his side, and his Silver Rank spoke for itself. Ranger's superior equipment did not intimidate his opponent in the least, and GS either didn't notice, or didn't care that his shield took a beating just from three hits. There is no way GS wasn't willing and able to turn the tide at any moment, and Ranger knew that a goblin's mindset was at it's most potent when exercised by a human being, which did intimidate him, but not too badly.

His team meanwhile sat down as soon as everyone else did; neither one rooted for either combatant, but they were still curious as to who'd come out on top, and Priestess of course was on stand-by in case anyone got harmed.

"You took that better than I thought, which is really saying something." Ranger said as he took another stance.

"I face goblins all the time, and they are much more troublesome than you." GS said simply

"All-things-considered, I'll take that as a compliment." Ranger said before he charged GS and the two slashed, thrusted, kicked and dashed around each other and both took some...pretty serious hits. GS' helmet was dented a bit, his breastplate was nicked by a stab, his leg got forcefully bent by a stomp to the back of the knee, and his shield was nearly caved in. Ranger took a shield bash to the face, a slash across his armored torso, a kick to the side, and was thrown to the ground, and the two sat there catching their breathe. This is probably the most intense match either had; they never trained together like this, but...it was both better and worse than they thought it would be.

"You don't need to kill yourselves over this." Priestess called.

"We won't." GS said as he stood up.

"We're just trying to get in some advanced practice." Ranger said as he got up, then the two rushed each other and Ranger started using some footwork Fighter taught him and even used some of her spin moves to hit GS in blind spots, and ducked some of GS' attacks, not that it did much good. Goblin Slayer's armor wasn't just simple, it was also effective; only Ranger's blades seemed to do anything; the blunt force of his kicks barely staggered his opponent, even in the seemingly vulnerable parts. The two clashed blades several more times, and GS blocked some kicks from Ranger before GS eventually landed a lucky blow and tripped Ranger with his shield, then put his sword at Ranger's throat...and Ranger did the same to GS. The match...was a draw.

"Ho...ly...shit, that was crazy..." Warrior said while breathing hard from the intensity of the match.

"That's what happens when you have two alpha males go at it." Wizard said simply, then Fighter and Priestess went to check on the two.

"Are either of you hurt?" She asked.

"Not badly." GS said as he straightened himself out but knelt from the blow to his knee he took, which made Priestess use Heal on him.

"I myself, am not sure." Ranger said as he tried to stand up, but then twisted and shifted his body and several bones popped into place, and Fighter removed his armor, pressed some nerve points and his posture was back in order. "Well...my armor's seen better days..."

"I'm on it." Wizard said as she approached and used her Repair spell on his suit, and turned to GS who shied away from her "What?"

"I have a blacksmith dedicated to my gear, and I need to keep paying him so he'll be able to provide services later on." GS said.

"Fair enough." Wizard said as Priestess used Heal on Ranger as well.

"That should do sir. As for you Goblin Slayer, go get some rest, and get your stuff fixed. You need it." She said.

"But, what if more goblins-" Priestess cut him off.

"We'll handle it, now go." She said and GS actually left.

"Can't believe that worked. Anyway, don't we have some mining to do, and an old priest to visit?" Warrior asked.

* * *

The team then traveled to the monastery by cart of course, and when they got there, the Abbot was on a lookout, and when he spotted the cart, he came to greet the team personally.

"Father Superior!" Priestess yelled as she rushed to hug him.

"Welcome back my child. And company of course." Abbot said.

"You are not going to believe who we met a few days ago." Warrior said.

"Well, don't keep me guessing." Abbot said.

"The Sword Maiden." Fighter said which made Abbot's eyes go wide.

"By the Supreme's sword and scale. That's incredible news! How is the good lady?" Abbot said.

"Well...the good news is that we left her on a good note. The bad news is that...she's been coming to terms with something for at least a decade." Ranger said cautiously.

"May I ask what?" Abbot asked hesitantly, which made Ranger sigh.

"She's been gripped by the same kind of anguish that gripped me, only on a _much_ more personal level." Ranger hinted which made Abbot growl and walk around in righteous anger then he pounded the wall...which made it crack a bit.

"Make them pay...make them _all_ pay!" Abbot exclaimed.

"Our plan exactly Father." Fighter said.

"Goblins destroying our homes, our families, and even our possessions is already unforgivable. But to include the archbishop herself in their schemes...how _dare_ they!" Abbot growled.

"There is hope that she can recover Father. We left a potion that could heal her scars, or at least lessen their effect on her, and I swore to her myself that we would not stop until the last drop of goblin blood is spilled. She even told us that she would continue to pray for our successes to be consistent, and fruitful." Ranger said and Abbot calmed down.

"You are all walking proof that the Supreme's justice is unstoppable. Come inside, all of you." He said, and the team followed him inside.

"Father Superior? I wanted to ask you if the Supreme God would grant me miracles even though I follow the Earth Mother." Priestess said.

"I was about to offer that very thing child. I cannot give all of you miracles, but you my child are a prime candidate." Abbot said before he knelt before the alter. "Hear me great Supreme God on high. Your servant and friend asks of you to bestow whatever miracles you wish upon this child of the Earth Mother. Let her be a vessel of both your will and that of your equally benevolent sister!" The alter then spawned a pair of blue lights and the Abbot gave them both to Priestess. "The miracles of Empower, and Holy Smite. I give to you, by the Supreme God's will."

"I will use them wisely Father Superior." Priestess said softly.

"Of that, I have no doubt. As for the rest of you...the archbishop's fate deeply saddens me; she is nothing less than a great woman and deserves the happiness of a family, Supreme willing, but as long as she is in your thoughts while you face your foes, I will be content." Abbot said.

"She will not leave our thoughts Father." Ranger said firmly.

"Good on you my son..." Abbot said.

"Father...do you have a family by any chance?" Fighter asked.

"No. I gave up my chance to have a family the moment I became a demon hunter. Though it pains me, I have no regrets over what I have and haven't done. If I were to die, it would be with a weightless heart." Abbot said.

"I see..." Fighter said before looking at Ranger who nodded. "The archbishop actually offered to bless us when we marry."

"If you had refused her offer, I might've have attacked you. When the archbishop offers to bless your marriage, refusing her would be foolish beyond words." Abbot said half-jokingly before stepping forward and taking both of their hands. "I can tell you have both been through much, and have much more to go through, but I have no doubt that the world has no where to go but forward as long as you two are in it." He then turned to the others. "You three are no different; whatever bounties befall them, you are all entitled to a piece of it."

"You honor us Father." Priestess said with a bow.

"I do nothing less than what is called for." Abbot then approached the alter and turned to the team. "Now, if you are off to the mine, I hate to inform you, but that mine is abandoned."

"Why?" Ranger asked.

"There was little point; the miners were searching for a treasure that the brothers and I found years ago and destroyed." Abbot said.

"What?" Wizard said.

"The husk of the Demon Lord's pet. Until the Hero defeats the Demon Lord, the information regarding it must be kept a secret." Abbot said.

"We can see why. If it's as bad as that dragon we took out, then..." Warrior trailed off.

"The Demon Lord's pet is nearly as powerful as he is. If it was revived, only the Champion's return and the efforts of the Hero combined would be enough to save the world." Abbot said grimly.

"O.k...this got very real, very quickly..." Wizard said exasperated.

"Indeed...but I have no doubt that there are an abundance of minerals left untouched. The miners wasted no time in their search." Abbot said.

"Thanks for the information Father, and we will not tell anyone about this." Ranger said.

"See to it you don't. There's no telling what attention you will draw." Abbot said as the team left.

* * *

The mining trip was fairly mundane. Like the old priest said, the place was abandoned; Wizard used Life Sight to check for any people there, but there were none. She did notice some goblin scouts and the team dealt with them right away. If goblins made their home here, it would be a serious issue; the number of side caves was staggering and made an unacceptably good place for an ambush.

The team took some leftover pickaxes from the mining site and each one got to work mining what looked juicy; even Priestess and Wizard pitched in. When they were done, they had about a quarter ton of iron, a few gems, and even a dwarven dagger, which Fighter figured she could have modified either with Wizard's magic, a forge, or both. The team then returned with their haul, gave some to the blacksmith, for a reasonable price, had the rest stored away to be used for their equipment. The team then returned to Guild Girl to get paid for their quest...

It turned out Summoner was waiting for them, with his fellow hunters...and two new friends...

* * *

**So Plasma Dragon, your idea for Warrior getting his own Mjolnir came to fruition, I'll bet that brightened your day huh? But on the logical side of the story, that would make Warrior kick even more ass than normal for obvious reasons, and...come on, Heavy Warrior is based on Guts from Berserk, and Goblin Slayer's parallels with Doom Guy speak for themselves, so...if that can happen, why not this? Anyway, I'm on part two of this chapter right now so be sure to rate, review, and share, and...well...stay tuned...**


	16. Chapter 10 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. Guess who's got even more OCs to throw into the mix?**

**Review response: Yeah, GS' single-minded approach to killing goblins, while justified to a degree, is pretty damn funny sometimes, and Wizard...man, that girl just keeps embracing the Thug Life, even if it's for one moment...**

**As for Ranger keeping the team on their toes when it came to the goblins' activity, or lack-there-of? Hey, rangers are pretty smart by trade; they wouldn't last long if they weren't.**

**As for Warrior's hammer? I couldn't resist giving Warrior his own Mjolnir; that idea is just too good. And you're right about Abbot: I had my doubts about Priestess being able to use miracles from 2 deities at once. But hey, Abbot is a high priest of one of those 2 gods; if he can't give her the ability to do so, then other than Sword Maiden herself, who can? Besides, Priestess is hardly lacking in ground with the Supreme God, despite not directly following him or her. And...yes, given how pissed off Abbot was at finding out SM had a nasty encounter with goblins, it would take either an unbreakable oath, or extreme faith in the team to make him stay his hand, and luckily for the goblins, both apply here. Although, for the record: Sword Maiden and Abbot were never in a relationship, considering the gargantuan age difference, but Abbot does still care about her, and not just because she's the Archbishop. Hell, Ranger flatout said that if he wasn't involved with Fighter already, he would probably sleep with her. Speaking of Sword Maiden...considering how she feels about Ranger and Fighter's love, chances are...she'd throw her own cash into the mix even if they didn't wipe out every goblin beforehand.  
**

**As for the Demon Lord's pet? Well...see for yourself.**

* * *

Summoner stood by a table with Assassin wrapping her arms around Werewolf who was sitting down. With him was a man in what Wizard recognized as a storm mage's outfit, and there was a man with a lute on her back. A bard from the look of it.

"Are they the team you mentioned?" Storm mage asked.

"They are indeed brother." Summoner said.

"Wait...are are you two?" Wizard asked.

"Well, this is my brother on the off-chance you didn't hear me." Summoner said.

"And the man next to me is my traveling songbird." Storm Mage said.

"I happen to be the one who soothes all the troubled souls that surround me." Bard said dramatically, yet without any hubris.

"Yep, he's a bard alright." Ranger said.

"So, what brings you here? Demons?" Wizard asked.

"Nothing so glamorous. We were called to help with an urgent quest, one involving an overrun fort full of bandits." Assassin said.

"Bandits?" Fighter asked. It just hit her that bandits were on of the few enemies they haven't faced.

"Yes, bandits. Outlaws? Cutthroats? Renegades? Scum of the earth? Goblins in human form?" Werewolf said.

"Yeah, we know what bandits are smartass. The good lady meant why are demon hunters fighting bandits?" Wizard said bluntly.

"Maybe we like the variety? Maybe we want an actual challenge? Maybe we want to improve our reputation to a degree? Who cares? Are you coming with us or are you just going to jabber on?" Assassin asked impatiently , and with that, Ranger looked over his team and each one either gave a nod, or shrugged as if to say "Eh, why not?"

"We're in." Ranger said.

"Alright. What a song this will make! A band of demon hunters assaulting a fortress full of ner-do-wells alongside followers of the infamous Goblin Slayer!" Bard said as they left.

"You know us?" Fighter asked.

"My good lady, I have yet to meet someone who does not know all of you. Some questioned why you'd associate with someone so..well, he's said to be crude, but others, like that lovely Guild Girl, worship the very air he breathes, and treat you all the same." Bard said.

"So, we're more famous than I thought..." Warrior said.

"Rightfully so. I've been to a village that claimed you all defeated dozens of goblins in the middle of the night, they would not stop talking about all of you" Bard said.

"I'll bet." Wizard said before looking at Storm Mage's tag. "Hold up! This Storm Mage is Silver Ranked!"

"Yep. Got promoted shortly before you all arrived." Storm Mage said.

"Then congratulations are in order." Ranger said.

"Thank you very much. Now, we have some outlaws to put down." Storm Mage said with a smirk.

"Hmmm...I don't know...I mean, goblins are one thing, but we're going to fight other people..." Warrior said.

"People that aren't much better than goblins. I've encountered people who actually captured other people, just because they were there, kept them alive, and flayed them piece by piece. To add insult to injury, they cooked the pieces they shaved off, in plain sight, and _ate_ them." Assassin said.

"O.k...that's just sick in the head..." Wizard said with disgust.

"It was, until Werewolf here made a snack out of them instead." Assassin said.

"He what?" Wizard exclaimed and the rest of the team followed suit.

"I'm a werewolf; when I do it in wolf form, then technically, it's not cannibalism." Werewolf said.

"Still...it's a good thing we've already eaten." Warrior said.

"But to be fair, I doubt these outlaws sunk _that_ low. But they're still going down..." Storm Mage said.

"Although, for the record: goblins aren't much better than those degenerates Assassin slaughtered; I've actually caught a goblin red-handed violating a girl they captured, and beat it to death without a weapon, after I put a crossbow bolt between a shaman's legs." Ranger said grimly

"Yeesh! I heard goblins were nasty little critters, but..." Storm Mage trailed off.

"They've not just "nasty little critters"; they're _abominations_. And by the way, have you been to the temple recently?" Ranger asked.

"Can't say I have. Why?" Storm Mage asked.

"Because there are a bunch of girls we saved from the goblins living there, and...they're in pretty rough shape." Ranger said somberly.

"Yeah, there's a reason Goblin Slayer does what he does." Warrior said.

"And why we follow his example." Fighter said as she took Ranger's hand. "And why this man leads us, when Goblin Slayer himself is not around."

"I'll bet. I once worked with no less than six rangers, and they laid siege to a fortress full of enemy troops for less than a day and captured the fortress, and everyone inside it. Granted I helped out by scaring the hell out of the people inside with my lightning but still." Storm Mage said.

"Speaking of which, how good are you with lightning?" Wizard asked to which Storm Mage reacted with a smirk.

"You'll find out..." He said.

* * *

Just over an hour later, the team got to a stone fortress that was through the woods they met the Revenant in, and the upper floor was being patrolled by some bandits with steel crossbows, or arbalests. The fortress itself was...impressive. There must be room for hundreds of people, and it was on a hill which made it's roughly 50ft height all the more daunting for potential invaders.

"What do you see Wizard?" Ranger asked while Wizard used Life Sight.

"There must be at least 200 inside the fort alone; the outside must be a few dozen." Wizard said impressed.

"Then this will be fun..." Assassin said with a smile. "You five stay here and take out anyone that flees, we'll clear it out..." She then jumped on Werewolf, who shifted into his wolf form, and prepared to charge. "Cloak..." Assassin whispered then she and Werewolf turned invisible, but they could still be heard rushing towards the fortress.

"We should go around the back to look for another way in. If we attack from both sides it should be that much easier." Storm Mage said.

"Sounds like a plan." Summoner agreed before the two brothers circled around the fortress.

"Wait." Wizard said before they left and gave them a summon stone. "I tried using a storm rune on this one; it should be fitting."

"Wizard, if you do this too often, I'll owe you a kiss." Storm Mage said excited.

"Hey, we just met, so...down boy." Wizard said bluntly.

"I was just kidding, lighten up." Storm Mage said before the brothers took off for real.

* * *

The moment Werewolf and Assassin got close, all hell broke loose. The two climbed the walls, ripped two crossbowmen off the walls to fall to their deaths, then Assassin rushed across the walls to clear out the rest of the shooters. She dodged one bolts after another, and even though some arrows managed to hit her...they broke against her outfit, despite being only skin-tight leather, and when she reached her foes...they either had knives planted into their brains, their throats cut or ripped open, their spines snapped, or their skulls smashed into the stone. Even though some outlaws wore solid steel armor, Assassin's blows didn't even acknowledge their presence and found their marks regardless.

Werewolf meanwhile was sending every outlaw he charged into flying, and when he stopped, he grabbed them and threw them across the area, slammed them into each other, or into the ground, and put his claws to work by swiping the poor bastards across the face hard enough to snap their necks, or just remove their heads entirely. Some were even unlucky enough to get their guts spilled out, and the last thing they saw, were their insides hitting the ground before dying. He then pounced at a heavily armored one with a greatsword, pounced right over him, pinned him down, and ripped off his armor as his screams fell on deaf ears, before Werewolf tore his chest open and bit down on one of his lungs. As Werewolf was feasting, he was shot by a few arrows, then roared at them, climbed the wall, and threw two of them off the tower they were on, pinned the last one down, bit his throat out, tore off his armor, and began eating the dead body.

Storm Mage eventually found a back door, and ambushed some outlaws as they came outside to see what the noise was, only for Storm Mage to blast them with enough lightning to kill several and make the last few fall down spasming uncontrollably. Storm Mage then let them get up and charged himself up as some outlaws shot arrows and bolts at him, only for them to be repulsed away from him by a magnetic field he put around himself. Some outlaws then charged him with swords, only to have the same result, only this time, the repulsion was enough to knock them down, then when they got back up, Storm Mage grabbed two, and fried their brains with lightning, then sparked another in the chest, stopping his heart, then zapped another one who was trying to run with a discharge right to he spinal cord.

He then joined the two demon hunters, and when some outlaws spotted him, they charged him instead thinking he was an easier target; clearly they didn't know what he did to their friends. Storm Mage stopped a hammer swing with his magnetism, punched him in the chest with a charged-up fist, stopping his heart, then even sucking some electricity out of his body, then discharging a fan of lightning at the rest, then spotting some more archers and vaporizing them with one charged-up lightning bolt.

Summoner, who was watching and hiding with a summon stone at the ready in case it was needed, monitored the entire battle and when it ended, he signaled the others to come into the fortress with a wave of his arm. When the team reached the fortress...the slaughter was a bit much.

"I've never been this happy to not be a bandit..." Warrior said with a disturbance in his voice as Priestess turned away to keep herself from vomiting.

"There's still bound to be some left in the fortress." Assassin said as Wizard used Life Sight.

"There are. A few dozen actually. Wait...there are a few deep in the fortress, probably the very bottom, and...they're working on something." She said.

"Or _with_ something." Fighter said.

"If it's something magical, we can't risk it. We have to get rid of them." Ranger said.

"So you want some kills yourself eh?" Assassin said with minor glee in her voice.

"We don't _want_ any kills, but like I said: if it's magical, we have to deal with it." Ranger said as Werewolf turned human again, and spawned a new set of clothes, and his axes.

"I'm coming too. These whelps barely put up a fight in my wolf form; I demand a greater challenge." He said.

"And you're using your axes this time dear?" Assassin teased.

"Damn right. Let's go." Werewolf said firmly as he pulled his axes. He then kicked the door in and sniffed around for bandits, then rushed into a room and chopped down bandit after bandit with nearly reckless abandon. He even threw his axes at some spearmen, and the axes returned to him but hit some attacking bandits in the back of the head, which made him laugh at them. Then he rushed to the other room after taking a spear, then threw it at the bandit at the back of the room, which scared the rest and made them easy pickings for Werewolf, who changed it up by attaching the axes into a staff and twirled it around and chopped down the rest with a decent amount of grace and brutality.

After several minutes of near-constant carnage, the team searched the bottom floor for whatever the bandits worked on, until Wizard used Life Sight and saw the outlaws were underground, then Werewolf sniffed out a secret door under a rug, and jumped down, slammed their two heads together, then tossed them in a nearby stream. Then an outlaw in a back room charged up lightning from a scroll, discharged it at Werewolf, only for Storm Mage to absorb it, then vaporize the outlaw with his own discharge.

"Well...that's the end of that. We've cleared out an entire fortress full of bandits and got one hell of a score from it." Wizard said.

"We? These hunters did all the work!" Fighter said.

"True, but...we couldn't have known they didn't need help." Ranger said.

"Right." Fighter said.

"What are we doing with all this loot?" Warrior asked.

"You can have the loot, but this fortress? It now belongs to us. This is now a sanctuary for demon hunters, one we intend to put to great use." Assassin said.

"But the loot? You're seriously giving us all of it?" Warrior asked.

"Not all, but you seem smart enough to know that keeping all this to yourselves is a bad idea regardless. Take as much as you can for one trip back to your cart, then leave us be." Assassin said as Werewolf, and Storm Mage followed her out. "_One_ trip...make it count."

"Well, I want that scroll." Wizard said as she rushed to it...then found a whole bunch of them. "Jackpot!" Fighter then joined her to see what she could get ahold of, leaving Ranger, Warrior, and Priestess with the rest of the treasure. Warrior and Priestess went through some items while Ranger looked through a chest full of gold, silver, and jewelry, then...something caught his eye: a ring...it looked like silver at first, then a close look revealed it was _platinum_, and it has a single, solid diamond on it. This thing must be worth a fortune, but then he stopped to think...then looked at Fighter who was still busy with Wizard. Could he...?

"Hey boss? You alright?" Warrior said, but Ranger didn't answer "Boss? Boss?!" He then went over to Ranger and noticed the ring. "Whoa! That is some ring- Wait a minute..." He then noticed Ranger was staring at Fighter and it hit him. "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"Yes. I'm going to ask her to marry me...with _this_." Ranger whispered.

"That's so exciting!" Priestess exclaimed which made Warrior slap his hand over her mouth.

"Shhh! Don't ruin the surprise..." Warrior whispered, before turning to see the other two ladies still busy then released Priestess and looked at the ring. "She'll love it."

"At first I thought it would be worth a fortune, but then...she's worth every fortune in the world." Ranger said.

"If you keep this up you're going to make us cry. But...I'm glad you two are going to be together." Warrior said seriously.

"So am I." Priestess said before hugging Ranger, which he returned.

"Let's get what we can carry and go." Ranger said before breaking the hug, the two other ladies joined them, and they went back to their cart, loaded their loot, and went home. When they got there, the team each went to the rooms, with Fighter and Ranger stripping bare, helping each other wash themselves like they often did, and this time...there was no serious touching. Washing each other is typically a golden opportunity for lust-driven minds, but neither was in the mood, possibly due to how serious things were recently. When they were done, they dried each other off, and went straight to bed. Neither had even said a word the entire time.

* * *

Come morning, Fighter woke up and looked Ranger over, as he did the same, then the two simply laid there holding each other.

"Ranger?" Fighter asked, finally cutting the tension. "Why haven't we talked in a while?"

"What is there to talk about? Things have been tense beyond words recently. But...at least we have each other." Ranger said.

"That's probably why things have been so tense in the first place. What if things will get even more tense later on?" Fighter asked somberly.

"Hey..." Ranger said firmly and made her look at him "Only a coward stops because things _might_ get too serious, and we are not cowards. We are adventurers, and damned good ones at that. Yes we've had our ups and downs, but that just means we have something else to face, not to run from."

"There's the man I adore..." Fighter whispered as she laid back down. "How do you keep your head in these cases?"

"Because I believe it will be worth it in the end. I believe it _must_ be worth it." Ranger said.

"But how do you keep that belief so powerful?" Fighter asked with urgency.

"My love for you, my rage towards the goblins, my desire to make myself and other greater, my established ability to make a difference, and don't get me started on how much thought I put into what difference our fight is making, directly and indirectly." Ranger said, and he could see the lights go on inside Fighter's head and he could feel her breathing and heart rate spike.

"Incredible..." She whispered before kissing him as sweetly and deeply as she could while they wrap their arms around each other, then she breaks the kiss, lays down in his warm, welcoming, and powerful arms, while her doubts, tension, and even anger towards herself burst into flames, and a second dose of love, fortitude, hope, and even ambition takes their place.

"You've been the high ground for me when I was drowning in my own blood, and I could spend the rest of my life at your side, and I'd still owe you in the next life." Ranger whispered and he felt her shake with a sob when he finishes, which makes him hug her tighter.

"What did I do in a previous life to deserve this now?" Fighter whispered.

"Who knows? But in this life...you're with me." Ranger said, which made her look at him to see him smiling at her, which she returned, before kissing him again, then they lay down on their sides, and she wraps one leg around his hips, and he gropes one of her breasts, making her moan into their kiss, especially when he rolls her nipple between his thumb and finger, and lashes tongues with her, before moving his hand down to her leg, then grips her softened ass cheek. She then reacts by gripping his shaft and strokes him which makes him groan and break the kiss.

"Careful...You already stirred the pot; if you keep this up it will start boiling." Ranger said huskily.

"You say that like you're not o.k. with it." Fighter teased.

"Only if you want a mess." Ranger said seriously.

"Good point..." Fighter said before kissing him again then snuggling into him.

"Fighter...do you remember when I went to save those adventurers who didn't need my help?" Ranger asked somberly.

"How could I forget?" Fighter said while smiling.

"While I was on my way there...I recalled what Goblin Slayer said about why he hunts goblins so staunchly, and...for a fleeting moment, I imagined what could've happened if I wasn't there; Priestess, Wizard...you...it could've been eight girls in that cave instead of five..." Ranger said somberly, then Fighter touched his faithfully-shaven face.

"That will not happen to us. I'm strong enough to rip off a hob's head and then some, and Priestess and Wizard are stronger than ever." She said firmly.

"I have seen your strength first-hand, and...I'm both relieved that my support isn't objectively needed, and...to be honest, that strength of yours makes me want you even more." Ranger said which made Fighter chuckle.

"Some men would prefer I remain weak so they could be there to save me themselves." Fighter said.

"I am not "some men"; if you were a weakling, I would probably be shitting enough bricks to build a castle whenever we went into battle." Ranger said and Fighter stuffed her face into the pillow to muffle her laughter at his remark despite how serious it was. Ranger himself had to admit it was pretty funny. He then kept talking once the two caught their breath. "Anyway, just the idea of the three of you suffering like that was enough to spur me onward; those two are like the sisters I never had, and...I'm sure I made my feelings for you clear as glass several times over by now."

"Ranger...that unconditional love you have for us is why we follow you; the reason I want to be your wife more than anything." Fighter whispered before snuggling into his chest. "The fact that you jumped at the chance to save some rookies you didn't even know makes me want you even more as well."

"I couldn't not do so; those abominations have ended and ruined too many lives as it was." Ranger said before caressing Fighter's face that was as full of life as the day they met "Even with the strength you have, I will do whatever I can to make sure my fears don't come true as long as I'm the leader."

"I'm sure you will." Fighter whispered before kissing him sweetly, pulling back, then they touch each other's hair, and just enjoy each other's company.

"I'm pretty sure I know the answer but...how can you still be as full of life as you were when we first met?" Ranger asked in awe.

"Well, how can you be so gentle at the right time, yet so violent at the right time?" Fighter asked.

"Point taken, it's just...when I first met you, seeing that life in your face I mentioned was no small motivator for me. Even though I didn't know how messed up the goblins were, the idea of letting that life get snuffed out...was _completely_ unthinkable, and now it's even more unthinkable, somehow." Ranger said.

"Ranger..." Fighter whispered in awe.

"Now...whether that's because of how much of a shame I thought that would be, or...a male desire to acquire a mate and tear flesh from bone to do so, or just...a desire to show that I'm the top dog, or a mix of all those things, I don't know." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"That would explain alot..." Fighter said which earned her a puzzled look from the man she was laying with. "Let's face it, the idea of a man wanting to let the other people know he's the top dog by dominating the competition, especially if there were girls involved is...hardly new. When my father was training people, there were some boys that tried to show off, boast, you name it. Some even did so just to get my attention specifically, but...take a wild guess how it worked for them."

"None of them got a date with you eh?" Ranger asked.

"Didn't even have a chance. But...I sort of wish you were there to show them how a _real_ man did things." Fighter said.

"I might get a chance later on." Ranger said before touching her face again which earned him a smile. "Even before you got as...developed as you are now, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I knew."

"Because of that life you keep mentioning?" Fighter asked half-jokingly.

"Easily, but everything else didn't hurt." Ranger said which made her chuckle before he pulled her in for a hug. "And I really do think that highly of you."

"And I think highly of you." Fighter said seriously as she returned the embrace "I'm honored to be the fire in your heart, and the one you want at your side, in your bed, and in your life. I'm also proud that the life you speak of inspired you to obtain so much greatness, and I'm touched you think so highly of it on a personal level." She then pulled back and kissed him sweetly "And...I love you, with all my heart."

"And I love you with mine." Ranger whispered softly as he kissed her a second time and the two simply laid there enjoying each other's kiss, then just laid there in an embrace, neither wanting to leave, but eventually drumming up the grit to get up. "We should probably get to the others."

"Right..." Fighter said with some disappointment, which Ranger hugged out of her. "I could spend an eternity like this."

"So could I, and in Heaven...we may very well do that." Ranger said which made her snap her head to him. "But here on Earth, there's plenty of things to share, to see...to do." He then got up, fetched their clothes, tossed hers to her, then started on his own. "Our sparring matches, which I just remembered that we haven't done in a while is one such thing."

"That is true, and...I couldn't help but notice you stole some of my moves when you fought Goblin Slayer." Fighter teased.

"Like you didn't steal mine against that demon general?" Ranger teased back.

"Right, fair is fair." Fighter said. It was completely true they were melding styles together, even though it was rarely necessary. Ranger's style was simple, quick, and to-the-point, but it's point was to get him directly back to his weapons, whereas Fighter's style was meant to turn her into a weapon herself, like she said when she and Ranger first met. She was proud of few things, but her ability to use her body itself as a weapon was definitely one of them, which involved moving circles around her foes, hitting their weak points, and not only striking their bodies, but striking _into_ their bodies, which is why she was able to down the two men who hit on her in that weapon shop in one hit each. Then there's the fact that her flexibility, agility, and physical know-how were leagues ahead of the average person. She then considered how to put her skills to use when she and Ranger were in bed but...that wasn't happening anytime soon, on the off-chance it was possible.

"Is something wrong?" Ranger asked.

"Oh, no. I was just..." Fighter stammered, which was pretty unusual. "I...don't want to talk about it."

"Well, if you ever do, don't hesitate to let me know, alright?" Ranger said.

"Alright." Fighter said with a small smile. His consideration for her feelings never ceased to catch her off-guard in a pleasant manner.

* * *

"Sir? I just paid a visit to the temple and...Father Superior sent a letter." Priestess said when the two lovers met the rest of the team.

"What does it say?" Ranger asked.

"He wants us to know that he husk of the Demon Lord's pet was something he failed to elaborate on entirely. He and the brothers didn't get involved in it's excavation because the Church already looked into it from afar, and no I don't know how. Anyway, the husk was being looked for in the first place because a member of the Evil Sect paid those miners to look for it, but then the Church found out, and sent not one, but multiple demon hunters to stop the Evil Sect and changed the deal with the miners. Father Superior himself even saw to the husk's destruction while we were visiting the archbishop, although it's not likely the husk will be destroyed for good, so they took the pieces and gave them to the Pope himself for safeguarding." Priestess said.

"Very good." Ranger said before thinking "How are the girls we rescued?"

"They...they're making progress according to Mother Superior, but...they still have a way to go." Priestess said somberly.

"Well, at least they're not alone..." Ranger said swallowing a sob...then sobering up. "Wait! What if that mine is used by goblins in the future?"

"I've dealt with that already. I used that gateway scroll, in sync with Summoner's teleportation runes to go to the fortress they captured to let them know about that, and...funny enough, the demon hunters Priestess mentioned were being led by his sister, who happens to be a recent Gold Rank herself, as well as some aspiring Bronze Ranks. Anyway, according to him, the mine might be usable for goblins, but the place was filled with special traps that...for pretty complicated reasons, will only go off if the mine is used as anything except what it's meant for." Wizard said.

"That doesn't make any sense." Fighter said plainly.

"Like I said, the reasons are complicated, but if the goblins do make their home there...they're in for a nasty surprise, or 20. I think it involves either some hidden elementals jumping them, or a series of cave-ins, or even some bolts of magic from "nowhere"; I did feel around for anything magical, but they were apparently masked to keep their purpose hidden, which...I have to admit it pretty smart. Either way, I almost feel sorry for any goblins that want to make a base there." Wizard said.

"Why not just level the mine and save the trouble?" Warrior asked.

"Probably because of what that would mean for the environment. Like Priestess told Goblin Slayer, every action has consequences and they need to be considered, no matter how stupid they may seem. In this case, if that mine gets leveled right away...then, what if were to be used further and something worthwhile is found?" Ranger said, and that made the whole team think; if these traps were as specially-made as you'd expect from _Gold Ranks_ then anyone in line with pro-demon lord forces is not going to have a fun time.

"If I were setting the traps though, I would go for that last idea I had: the one where bolts of magic take out the occupants." Wizard said.

"Is that even a thing?" Warrior asked.

"Yep. Setting magical traps...is something I should've done myself ages ago!" Wizard said while facepalming. "Why didn't I think of that sooner? Oh well, next time we go into battle, I'm definitely using that trick."

"Heh, first enchanting, then summoning, now magic traps. You my good miss, are on a magical roll." Warrior said with excitement and Wizard couldn't help but blush.

"I suppose I am." She said proudly.

"Oh! I just remembered something else. Before we investigated that monastery, I found a piece of a stained glass window that showed...well, us on it." Ranger said.

"What? O.k...that should've been asked about last time we were there." Warrior said.

"I could send a letter to him asking about that. After I try the two miracles I got from him to make it more worth the time and effort." Priestess said.

"Do it." Ranger said as Priestess went to the temple. The monastery was only about an hour away from the town by horse, so Abbot's response should arrive before dusk.

"Anyway, boss? Want to see how far you've come when it comes to not using a weapon?" Fighter asked.

"You mean I get to stop being a walking armory for once in my life? Why the hell not?" Ranger teased.

"Here we go again..." Wizard said shaking her head with a small smile; the boss and Fighter's relationship was absolutely hopeless.

* * *

When the team got to the arena, some rookies were there talking about something, and their conversation stopped as soon as the Emerald Ranks showed up, then Ranger and Fighter shed their weaponry, but kept on their armor for protection; both their armors were enchanted to be lighter, more flexible, and above all, kept them cool in hot weather, so it was no real problem. Then they took their place in the middle, and took their stances, which..were both the same, and were blends between their styles in one package.

"How much do you want to bet this will be a tie?" Wizard asked casually.

"There's no way to tell. Ranger was able to barely get a stalemate with Goblin Slayer, and I actually expected Goblin Slayer to pull a come-from-behind win..." Warrior said.

With that...as the sun was barely coming up over the buildings, Ranger and Fighter charged each other, then moved from side-to-side while spinning, and Ranger threw a reverse kick to her head, which she ducked, then front kicked her with his other leg, which she avoided, then he had to block a jab, then a round kick to the side, another punch to the face, then he grabbed her fist and tried to twist it and throw her to the ground...only for her to twist out of it, then knee him in the face just hard enough for him to feel it. He then shook it off, then skipped forward with a side kick which she side-stepped, and tripped his other foot...which made him catch his fall with one hand, like she tends to do, regain his footing, then put a wound-be uppercut under her jaw, then took another stance.

"You really have been adding my style to your own." Fighter said impressed.

"Imitation is the best form of flattery." Ranger teased.

"In that case..." Fighter charged him, tried to grab his legs, only for him to jump over her and she rolled across the ground.

"My style is more subtle than that." Ranger said seriously.

"Good point." Fighter said before shuffling towards him, then lunging with a false front kick, then dropped down and yanked his leg out from under him and pushed him back as he fell, then stepped on his gut. "That better?"

"Yes it is..." Ranger said before rolling on his side out of nowhere which made her lose her balance and he put both feet around her other foot and rolled back. "How was _that_ for imitation?"

"Practically masterful." Fighter said half-jokingly.

"Says the lady whom I imitated." Ranger said with a raised eyebrow, then Fighter gets up and he charges her then jumps at her with a knee to the collarbone...which she counters by grabbing him in mid-air, spinning around, and throwing him away, then when he lands on his feet after regaining his barrings, he blocks a kick from her, then he deflects several jabs from her, then rolls back, puts both feet in her gut, staggering her, and he gets up then he grabs Fighter before she can get up. He then puts her in an arm bar, only for her to twist out of it, then she puts him in a leg lock, only for him to reverse it, then she pounces on his back, only to be pushed off, then she wraps her shins around his throat, when Ranger tries to grab her again, then he picks her up, jabs her in the side, making her let go, and she gets off him by putting her hands on the ground and falling back in a controlled manner. The two then catch their breath, stand up and stare each other down. Both glance at their teammates and the others who were watching in anticipation.

"You had enough yet?" Fighter asked.

"Are you kidding me? This is more fun than it probably has a right to be." Ranger said.

"In that case..." Fighter then rushed him then threw one kick after another at him, all of which were blocked or avoided, but some were done without her putting her foot down, and others transferred into other hits. Like when she threw a round kick, used the recoil from Ranger pushing her foot away to throw a hook kick, then another round kick with her other foot when he caught her first foot. If he wasn't watching her like a bird of prey, he would've been floored by her second kick instead of ducking it, but she knew that and threw a third kick at his legs to trip him, but he spun with her sweep and threw a knee at her, which she blocked with both hands, then he put his fist on the side of her head, and caught her fist at the same time. The progress they made with each other's styles was staggering for both of them.

"If this keeps up, I'm going to tell them to get a room..." Wizard muttered.

"We heard that!" Fighter said which earned her some laughs. "Anyway, I think I've had my fill of excitement for one morning. Eh boss?"

"Yes indeed." Ranger said then spotted Heavy Warrior. "Look who it is..."

"Look who it is indeed. You two get enough of a workout?" Heavy Warrior asked.

"Yes...we...have..." Fighter said with enthusiasm before noticing some rookies join Heavy Warrior. "Oh boy, those two are in for it..."

"Oh relax, I doubt he'd get too serious with them." Ranger said. It was a semi-well-know fact that Heavy Warrior had a habit of training rookies when he could spare the time. "Anyway, let's go get our new gear and see what's new." With that, the team went to the dwarven caravan that returned, and Warrior got his hands on some armor pieces made of dragon bone, which was famously durable, and lighter then even leather armor, which made sense seeing as dragons need to be able to fly with a massive bulk. Fighter got some dwarven metal plates on her arms and legs, as well as some gauntlets with studs on the knuckles, as well as some dragon skin leather for her robe to add more protection. Dragon skin was resistant to arrows and even crossbow bolts; she actually wished any goblins luck in harming her now.

The dragon parts as it turned out came from the same dragon Warrior slew some time ago, which of course, surprised the team quite a bit. Ranger got a small red cloak to replace his older green one, and Wizard had brought some new magical items, which included a crystal none of the team saw before, but Wizard assured them it was for a good purpose. She also got her hands on an armored robe to replace her dress; she loved her dress to pieces, but wasting magic on repairing and cleaning it was getting really old, really quickly, not to mention she didn't want to rely on her teammates to protect her too much. Priestess got her hands on some herbs that Mother Superior recently taught her were sacred to the Earth Mother, and could be used to slowly but steady purge corruption, especially the kind that comes from demonic influence. There's no way Priestess was going to say no to that. The team even paid the dwarves to outfit Ranger's horse with some armor. which would be enchanted to decrease the weight, and self-maintain of course.

When they were done blowing through 2/3 of the funds, well-spent as it was, they went inside and saw that not many people were in, except for Guild Girl and Inspector.

* * *

"Good morning team. I was told you did some training out in the yard." Guild Girl said.

"We have indeed. It was...quite a session to say the least." Fighter said.

"I'll bet. I wish I could've seen it." Guild girl said.

"I actually took the liberty of making this." Wizard said before giving a piece of a crystal.

"Is this an event recaller? Where did you get this?" Guild Girl asked.

"Summoner of course. He said they're good for showing people events that happened, so...I figured why not give it a shot?" Wizard said.

"Good point. I'll watch it when I get the chance." Guild Girl said.

"Speaking of chances...when's our exam?" Warrior asked.

"Let me get through the rush of adventurers that should arrive any moment now and I'll get right on it, o.k.?" Guild Girl asked.

"O.k. we can wait until then, and let us know if any goblins are active." Ranger said.

"Not a problem." Guild Girl said before the team sat down had some breakfast in peace, then watched the adventurers come in to get their quests, and eventually...some guy with grey hair, red eyes, and a deathly pale complexion stepped in with a pair of large bags on his shoulder. Whoever he was, he sure was a strong fellow. Then Spearman, who was sitting nearby nursing a mug of ale started questioning him, and...the man's voice sounded _very_ familiar, then the man left to see the guild armorer as the Spearman and Witch took off to explore some ruins..

"Did...anyone else hear that man's voice?" Ranger asked quietly.

"Yeah, he sounded alot like...Goblin Slayer..." Wizard said.

"Could that _be_ Goblin Slayer?" Fighter asked.

"There's only one way to find out." Warrior said.

"We're not asking him. At least, not in public." Ranger said.

"What?" Warrior asked.

"The boss is right. What if we're right and everyone swarms him? There has to be a reason he never shows his face, even to us." Wizard said.

"Well...privacy is golden." Warrior said.

"Technically silence is golden, but point taken." Fighter said before Guild Girl approached.

"Team! We can get your promotion exams up and running whenever you're ready." She said.

* * *

It was yet another shoo-in; the moment Priestess got back from testing her two new miracles and sending Ranger's letter to Abbot, her new miracles and accomplishments in Hell against the demons landed her at not just Ruby, but Bronze, which completely floored her teammates. She was on her way to becoming an honorary demon hunter as Wizard noted.

Wizard herself earned some brownie points for learning about magic traps, learning more about summoning, especially the teleportation part, making Warrior's new hammer, distracting the Goblin Champion so Warrior, GS, and Ranger could deliver the killing blows, and of course, helping fight the demons, so...another Bronze Rank on the team.

Warrior's hammer and assistance against the Goblin Champion and demon hordes spoke for themselves, and so did his new crossbow, so score another Bronze Rank.

Fighter going against the goblins, demons, and especially the general, landed her a Bronze Rank too; demon generals were obviously quite daunting foes, and Fighter fought him head-on with almost no problem. Her help with the gate mirror was just overkill; that thing must've weighed as much as a dragon did, and she was able to handle it with a good deal of help, but still.

Then there's Ranger...he not only continued to prove his leadership, but also got a new crossbow like Ranger did, but helped kill the goblin champion, the demon general, and he proved he could take on Goblin Slayer toe-to-toe in a sparring match...he was the fifth Bronze Rank.

Of course, the team's new gear they bought from the dwarves didn't hurt either; Guild Girl even said they aren't far from that Silver Rank she mentioned months ago.

With that, Priestess went back to the temple to tell her Mother Superior about what's been happening, and the other four went to check on the others in the training yard.

* * *

The two rookies with Heavy Warrior tried and failed several times to take him down, but Ranger noticed so many problems with their approach he didn't know where to start. They were predictable as the sunrise, they were too slow, and it was _extremely_ obvious they had no formal training. Heavy Warrior even tripped one, and made the other run face-first into his sword, which got some laughs out of the team.

"Come on, what's the _matter_? At this rate even a goblin could take you." Heavy Warrior said.

"Dammit, let's try this again. You go around the right!" One rookie said to the other, which made Ranger facepalm hard.

"Don't say your plan out loud you morons..." He said in a strained whisper. Heaven forbid those two rookies become rangers; they wouldn't last one mission. His "advice's" merit came to fruition when one of the rookies was shoved to the ground, and the other was knocked to the ground by Heavy Warrior's pummel.

"Nice try." Heavy Warrior said smugly.

"Goblin Slayer.'s here" Wizard said as the team turned to see him talking to Female Knight.

"Glad to see you're still standing Goblin Slayer. I heard that Water Town quest nearly did you in." She said.

"Yeah." GS said.

"Tell me, do you wear full armor everywhere you go?" Female Knight asked.

"Yeah." GS said.

"O.k..." Female Knight said as the sparring match raged on with Heavy Warrior still toying with the rookies who were losing their tempers.

"I didn't realize that greenhorn warrior was a member of your party." GS said.

"Oh, we were sparring on our own, when we noticed he was staring, so we left him join in." Female Knight said as the rookies took a breather with Heavy Warrior doing the same. "An adventurer's skill with the sword is mostly self-taught; even a little formal training can mean the difference between life and death. And then there's the ones who get formal training since childhood who are frankly, a tad overqualified to be an adventurer, like that Ranger man who leads that team who follows you around."

"Yeah." GS said

"I heard he got a handful of his own in Water Town." Female Knight said.

"Yeah." GS said.

"May I ask what happened?" Female Knight asked.

"We encountered a goblin champion. It smashed me into a wall, and used a reflect spell to set Ranger on fire when Wizard cast a fire spell." GS said.

"And you're both still alive and well?" Female Knight asked seriously.

"The archbishop healed us." GS said simply.

"Wow...that's...quite an honor." Female Knight said.

"Yeah." GS said.

"Well, in any case, since the boys were getting a lesson, it's only fair that I teach those girls a thing or two as well." Female Knight said "Huh, looks like that big brute looks like he's starting to tire already, so...that's my cue to step in." She then engaged the Heavy Warrior just as the team left and went back inside with Ranger having had enough of seeing two rookies get smacked around; he wanted to step in and take over their training, but it was pretty distasteful to upstage a Silver Rank, even though they were only 1 rank apart now.

* * *

Goblin Slayer came inside not long after the team did, and when Priestess got back, she went straight to him.

"Goblin Slayer. What are you doing here?" She said.

"My armor needed some repairs remember?" GS asked.

"You should've said something." Priestess said.

"I didn't see a need to." GS said before noticing Ranger. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm going to remember my burns for quite some time, but physically? I'm good as gold." Ranger said.

"I'm glad." GS said.

"Guess what? We're Bronze Ranked now." Warrior said.

"Oh, nice going." GS said.

"Yep, soon we'll be Silver Ranks ourselves." Fighter with proudly.

"I see." GS said as Guild Girl approached.

"Hello team, Goblin Slayer. What's new?" She said warmly.

"Nothing serious." GS said.

"Nothing serious? Ranger nearly burned to death and you nearly died yourself as well." Priestess said which made Guild Girl gasp and Ranger cringe.

"You what? Why didn't you say something before?" Guild Girl asked.

"First off, the Sword Maiden herself healed both of us with Priestess and Wizard's aide, and secondly...that time I was on fire is something I _hate_ being reminded of!" Ranger snapped which made Guild Girl recoil before Ranger took a moment to calm down "Sorry..."

"It's alright." Guild Girl said softly before noticing Priestess blushing. "Is something wrong?"

"No! Just...thinking, that's all!" Priestess exclaimed which made her team raise their eyebrows.

"What did you need? Do you have a quest for us?" GS asked.

"A quest? No, there's nothing today, sorry." Guild Girl said before handing over a letter with the same seal as Sword Maiden's first letter. "I came over to give you this. An adventurer dropped by and asked me to pass it along to you."

"I see." GS said as he took the letter and put it away. "Thanks."

"Of course. Delivering correspondence is my responsibility." Guild Girl said.

"And we salute you for it." Warrior said dryly which earned him some laughs.

"Anyway, do you have any friends or family in Water Town?" Guild Girl asked GS.

"No, it's likely from the one who gave us the quest." GS said.

"Oh, that makes sense. You're probably right..." Guild Girl said.

"What do you think Her Grace wants?" Ranger asked.

"Don't know." GS said before a jolly laugh came from the top floor.

"Well if it isn't Beard Cutter, and friends." Dwarf Shaman said as he and the other two came down the stairs.

"It's polite to at least say hello if you're going to be stopping by." High Elf Archer said.

"It appears you were able to get your armor repaired. That is excellent news." Lizard Priest said.

"Yes." GS said before Lizard Priest's eyes go wide at seeing the team's dragon bone and skin gear.

"What is that armor made from?" He snapped which made Warrior and Fighter's eyes go wide themselves.

"It's...from a dragon I took care of when it threatened a nearby mine." Warrior said cautiously.

"Did you at least give it the respect it deserved?" Lizard Priest asked seriously.

"We made sure to kill it as painlessly as we could, and Goblin Slayer killed a demon general with Ranger's sword, which was enhanced by it's blood." Fighter said.

"As long as you swear to continue honoring the power you obtained from it, you have my blessing. Do you swear this?" Lizard Priest asked.

"Y-yes. Yes we swear it." Warrior said seriously.

"Very good." Lizard Priest said calming down.

"Wait...you guys killed a demon general? Where were we when this happened?" H.E. Archer asked.

"Be glad you weren't there. It was the single hardest fight we've ever been in." Warrior said.

"Says the guy who stayed in the back the whole time." Fighter teased.

"I was waiting for an opening so I could take him out!" Warrior exclaimed.

"If you say so..." Fighter said.

"Regardless...it was still a damn hard fight. Even with nine people, three of which were demon hunters, and one, our good Priestess here, having a magic type that demons are weak against, we still had the living shit kicked out of us." Ranger said.

"Still...you killed a demon general, one of the most powerful foes you can ask for, and you're all Bronze Ranks now, you should be proud of yourselves." Dwarf Shaman sai.

"Very much so." Ranger said.

"I say this calls for a celebration. What do you say we all have ourselves a splendid feast to commemorate this grand undertaking?" Dwarf Shaman asked.

"The more the merrier Guild Girl." H.E. Archer.

"Umm...I don't know if I..." Guild Girl said as she looked at Inspector who gave her a "go ahead" wave "I would love to!"

"I'll pass." GS said.

"Come on, no need to be shy with us." H.E. Archer said.

"I'm not..." GS said.

"Loosen up o.k.? It's just a meal." H.E. Archer said as she practically snuggled up next to GS.

"Uh, laying it on a bit thick aren't you?" Wizard said.

"Oh can it." H.E. Archer said before moving away, then Cow Girl walked in.

"Sorry to keep you wait-" She stopped when she saw the huge group of people looking at her.

"Hi." GS said which earned him some snickers.

"Are they all...in your party?" Cow Girl said hopefully.

"Yeah." GS said.

"And guess what? They're all Silver Ranks, and...we're now Bronze." Warrior said.

"Oh, congratulations! Especially you..." Cow Girl said and Ranger smirked.

"Thank you very much my good ma'am. Would you like to join our feast as well?" He asked.

"Would I ever." Cow Girl said.

* * *

The next hour or so was spent with the team doing little but stuffing their faces with meats, bread, fruits, veggies, and of course, the gods' nectar that all but Lizard Priest called cheese. Guild Girl also confirmed that the Hero defeated the Demon Lord, and became the 10th Platinum Ranked adventurer in history, which got Ranger's feathers ruffled again; the team defeated a demon general using methods that were tipped in their favor to an almost unfair degree. Did the Hero do the same, or was it evenly-matched? How much stronger is the Demon Lord than his generals? How much more powerful did his team need to get before they could do the same thing? Would they be even be the ones called to face the Demon Lord in ten years time? That last thought alone was enough to spur Ranger to continue searching for ways to make his team greater...

"You o.k. boss?" Warrior asked from across the table from the opposite end of the table he, Ranger, Fighter, and Wizard were at

"Yes, I was just thinking about what the Demon Lord's defeat means for us." Ranger said.

"Oh?" Wizard asked as she swallowed some salad.

"Yes...could we be the ones who beat the Demon Lord in ten years?" Ranger asked firmly which made the whole team's eyes go wide; a whole team going from goblin killers, to demon hunters, to saviors of the world...that would be probably the most grand tale ever told.

Eventually, Heavy Warrior barged in with a band of rookies who treated them to a feast of their own. Guild Girl then mentioned rumors of an adventurer's training home, run by retired adventurers, which of course increased their chances of surviving to make an even greater difference, which made Ranger sigh deeply; why wasn't that done years ago?! So many lives could've been saved if they did that! Fighter took his hand which drained the wrath out of his mind almost right away. It always amazed him how she could tell that he was livid over something, and how obvious the motive was. Then Guild Girl mentioned that adventurers don't stop living just because they stop going on quests, which that training home plan paid tribute to. Then Ranger remembered his ring and had a thought...

"What about the adventurers who start families?" Ranger asked seriously which made the whole group stop and think.

"Well...I suppose they could still be involved in guild activities, but it's not common for it to become a matter involving a whole family. Why?" Guild Girl asked.

"No reason...it just hit me." Ranger said, although his team wasn't fooled by his facade, and even Inspector gave him a funny look; she could sense lies afterall, but she probably understood he was keeping a secret and wanted to respect his privacy.

* * *

After the feast was over, Ranger, Warrior, and Fighter took over the rookies' training, with Ranger and Fighter setting up an obstacle course similar to the type of terrain Ranger trained in as a kid, complete with some training dummies for them to practice martial arts with at Fighter's instruction. While they did that, Warrior fought the same two rookies who fought Heavy Warrior earlier, and this time, he let them attack him while he blocked and dodged their attacks without throwing his own. His own sword was too powerful to attack them with, and besides...this was about training them, but beating them. Warrior even gave them tips on how to swing properly, what body motions to use, how to treat the motions, what they did, and even how to execute tricks, like faking an attack then throwing a real attack that goes for a radically different angle. His tips eventually paid off since the rookies started pressing him after less than a minute during their final session of training.

Wizard then gave the two each a stamina potion, then Ranger had the two run the obstacle course forward, and in reverse several time, and noted that he went through that kind of training since he was a child, which encouraged the late-teen rookies; if a kid can do this, why can't they?

Last but not least, Fighter stepped in and gave them a few of her moves, which involved all but her most advanced moves, like throwing strikes while jumping and spinning, but she had to correct a few flaws in their technique, like winding up before striking; that happens to be a great way to encourage your foe to attack you first. Instead, she had them hit without winding up, but making their strike as fast, and with as tight a fist or sniff a leg as possible, all at once.

Priestess even demonstrated her Holy Smite miracle to Apprentice Cleric, and her jaw hit the floor; it was nearly unheard of for someone who didn't worship the Supreme God to use miracles like that, even though Abbot is to be thanked for it. She even shared the idea of praying for additional miracles instead of waiting for the recharge.

* * *

After training was over, the team sat down for some ice cream, which was a smash hit as expected, and when it was done, a messenger arrived with not one, but two letters addressed to Ranger and the team. The first was from Abbot...

_Dear Ranger and friends_

_It is no coincidence that you questioned the stained glass window you saw that day, on this day. The window tells of a single event that spells out a series of incredible events to come in the future. Centuries ago, this monastery had an abbot who was quite adept in predicting the future, and I have no doubt in my mind that it spoke of all of you, and from the visions the Supreme God has shown me, my faith is confirmed. I have seen your battles with the goblins, the demons, the dragon, even some battles you have yet to take part in. I cannot, and should not tell you what they are; just stick to the path you have already chosen, and you will have as much to fear as you had before, which is little to nothing. It has come to my attention that you have achieved Bronze Ranks; I am pleased to know this. Perhaps you will all become Platinum Ranks, or at least strong enough to contend with Platinum Ranks some day. Ranger, I have seen your conversations with the Arch Bishop, you could not have said anything better to her. Her heart is healing from what those abominations did to her as we speak. You and your team deserve all the glory in the world for what you have done, and intend to do._

_Many Blessings upon you  
Abbot  
_

"So...it was just our destiny to do all this? None of it was our doing?" Warrior asked.

"No. Destiny or not, we're still the ones who did all of it, and we're still the ones who have to deal with the consequences if we fail." Priestess said.

"She's right. My mother once said that destiny or prophecy tells what can be, not what will be. Like how it was my destiny to become an adventurer, but there was no telling that I'd wind up with my own team, let alone one full of Bronze Ranks." Ranger said.

"That's...pretty heavy." Wizard said

"What about the other one?" Fighter asked as Ranger opened the other and read it.

"It's from the Sword Maiden...she wants us to know that...she is no longer having nightmares about goblins, and we're the ones who stopped it. She also wants me to know that telling her what we have done is as assuring as it could be and that she was relieved to see that the goblin threat is being dealt with so relentlessly, but also wants us to keep an eye open for any possible threats since the Demon Lord's defeat is by no means the end of it. And of course, she's praying for us all." Ranger said, and with that, he puts down the letter, puts both in a small bag and gets up from his seat "I'm going to head home for a bit."

"What's wrong boss?" Warrior asked.

"Nothing, I'm just going to put these away, and...well, I have some thinking to do." Ranger said as Fighter approached him a bit before he puts up a hand. "Please...don't worry about me. Just go inside, see what's what, or something. I really do have some thinking to do." With that, Ranger went home, put the letter in a desk drawer, sat down on his and Fighters bed, recalled what he was told about the Sword Maiden's ordeal, and what he saw and heard himself, then it hit him like a two ton mace: every time she spoke, even when it was about something other than goblins...Sword Maiden had a faint sob in her voice; it was like she was always crying on the inside and letting the tears out, one at a time, with her voice.

The very idea made Ranger's eyes burn and he started weeping himself. It was like the time in that den during his first quest all over again, only...quieter. If there was any silver lining to this, it's that it proved Ranger wasn't losing his sensitivity towards other people, and therefore, his humanity was intact, and that Sword Maiden confirmed that hope was alive and slowly establishing a foothold in her soul, he and his team were the ones responsible, and last but not least...there was a piece of wisdom his father shared with him: weep today, and fight tomorrow. With that knowledge in mind, Ranger dried his tears, and renewed his vow that this war against the goblins is one he and his team were going to win at all costs.

* * *

The next day was spent continuing their training with the rookies, in the same manner as yesterday, with Fighter throwing in some training methods she uses, and having a demonstration with Ranger, which was treated as such: she tried a move, he either took it, blocked it, countered it, or dodged it in certain ways she instructs, and Ranger wraps it up by having the rookies do the obstacle course again and then Wizard gives the two a stamina potion and they head inside for lunch.

Later on, Ranger and company join Storm Mage alone for some demon hunting, but they find nothing, which was both a comfort, and a disappointment. No demonic activity meant no one would get hurt, but it also meant...no chances to work towards a Silver Rank, let alone a Platinum Rank.

By the time they were done, it was dusk, and they headed for the tavern for dinner...only to find the place full of people, and High Elf Archer and Dwarf Shaman were having a drinking contest, which was a big "WTF" moment for the group. Eventually...Ranger grasped the ring he got from the bandit fortress, sucked in a breathe, and walked over to Fighter...

"Fighter?" He asked, which got her attention as he took her hand. "Can I talk to you...outside?"

"O.k." She said softly as she followed him to the tree outside. "What's wrong?"

"Ever since we got back from Water Town...I've been thinking quite a bit about what happened since we were Porcelain Rank, but also what can and will happen later." Ranger said firmly.

"And?" Fighter said curiously.

"Like the Abbot implied in his letter...one event leads to another, and...I'm sure the connections between the first event and this one speak for themselves. But who knows what this moment will leads to." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"Where are you going with this...?" Fighter asked with both nervousness and anticipation in her voice then Ranger sucked in a breathe before steeling himself.

"O.k...obvious things out of the way. Out of the entire team, as far as I'm concerned, you deserve most of the glory." Ranger said honestly, and Fighter raised an eyebrow at this. "If it wasn't for you, I would have succumbed to my weaknesses a long time ago, several times over, but I didn't. I'm not sure how much difference I made for you, but...the results also speak for themselves, and I know we've discussed having children of our own, and that requires that we live to do so but...where was the evidence that would be the case?"

"Ranger, there doesn't need to be any-" Ranger cut her off.

"Yes there does, and there wasn't any...until now." He said before taking her hand, kneeling and showing his ring...much to her surprise. "Fighter...will you marry me?" With that...her eyes widened and watered, her breathing and knees became shaky and she took a moment to compose herself before giving her obvious answer...

"Yes..." She whispered before letting him slip on the ring and pull her into probably the tightest hug they ever had. Some onlookers were heard mumbling to themselves over it, but neither of the affianced cared; in that moment...no one else mattered, but them.

* * *

**Hot DAMN, long chapter is long...and delayed ASF, but boy was it worth writing, and hopefully worth reading eh folks? Anyway, one of the moments we've all been itching for, their betrothal has arrived. Also tied up a loose end with that stained glass window I didn't even recall needed tying until now...so there's that. And there's the oh-so-glorious fact that Warrior's dragon kill became fruitful...although Lizard Priest's reaction was probably a tad awkward for him. Anyway...if you managed to navigate this gauntlet of a chapter lol, be sure to Rate, Review, and Share, and as always...stay tuned.**


	17. Chapter 11 Part I

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. I hope you people have your seatbelts on, because the final battle that episodes 11 and 12 showed us is upon us, and...you may have seen this coming a mile away, but I intend to throw everyone but the kitchen sink, and then throw in the kitchen sink as well at this battle, and not just for this part, but the next as well. So...let's do this thing.**

**Review response: Yeah, the demon hunters are pretty messed up in the head, but that's kinda he point; you kinda have to be messed up in the head to hunt demons. Afterall, Assassin loves fighting demons as if it was better than sex, has no issues with Werewolf's "appetites", and Werewolf himself...well, he's a werewolf; being savage is part of the package. In the game Skyrim, one quest deals with a werewolf who lost control over his inner wolf and devoured a little girl. As dark as that is, it also paints a pretty little picture about how unstable werewolves tend to be. Also... werewolves in their wolf forms are a bit hard to classify considering what they are, so...him not seeing it as cannibalism does make at least some sense. But it still nice the team got some sweet loot, including a shit ton of money and scrolls from it, including a platinum and diamond ring for Ranger's proposal, and...let's face it, female fans, I'm talking to you: would you turn down an engagement ring like that, especially if it was confirmed to be the real deal? I for one seriously doubt it...**

**As for the mine? The people involved were led by a Gold Rank; sophistication should be considered normal, and that includes being fair to those involved.**

**As for Wizard's traps? Well, like in the Witcher, setting up a trap that curses foes hit by it to either get slowed down, crippled, or take damage could be a thing, and who knows what else?**

**The stained glass window and dragon fight were things I couldn't not bring up; the stained glass window is something I was kicking myself for not addressing, and the dragon being used further is...kinda obvious cause..it's a dragon; as said in God of War (2018) every part of a dragon is useful. As for Lizard Priest? Well...he actually says he wants to become a dragon, so...seeing a dead dragon being put to use like this is probably kind of sore.**

**Speaking of sore: You have to admit that the training home not being a thing ages ago and people losing their lives as a result is complete bullshit. Ranger having his own training is an obvious plus, but that kind of plus being a necessity? Sorry, the guild takes a huge L for that.**

**As for the girls and Sword Maiden? Well...I doubt she'd go too far from the Temple of Law, but I suppose she could do so in the future. It would be one serious dose of character development.**

**I wasn't even aware of how I was building up Ranger's proposal to Fighter, or what purpose it would serve...but it's a nice surprise.**

**On a final note: I have to admit that seeing even my staunchest fans either keep silent or maybe even lose interest is alittle demoralizing which is why it takes me so long to update, but I said I wouldn't stop until it's over, and I keep my promises...  
**

* * *

The engaged pair stood there in as tight an embrace as ever, before Fighter pulled Ranger onto his knees and they continued to sit together...

"We're finally engaged...after all the hell we've been through, we've been given a chance to start a life together." Fighter whispered in disbelief.

"We always had a chance. All I'm doing to is making it clear. I owe you nothing less, and no...I will never stop thanking you for breaking me out of the misery that captured me." Ranger said softly.

"I accepted that long ago." Fighter said before backing up a bit to look at him with a small smile. "Just like I will never stop being amazed by how great a leader you've been."

"Then I guess we're even..." Ranger said as he ran his hand through her hair. "Although...I recall you wishing for a life together, in peace and with a family on your birthday."

"I did..." Fighter said softly as she gave him a heart-melting kiss before they buried themselves in each other's arms yet again. "May I ask where you got this ring, and...what it's made of?"

"From the bandit fortress, and the ring itself, as it turns out, is made of platinum. I was thinking of selling it for some quick coin, but then..." Ranger said.

"You had second thoughts." Fighter whispered with awe in her voice before he caressed her face and she holds his hands there. "I love you..."

"And I love you." Ranger said before kissing her as softly as possible. "Even if I had sold it, and got a fortune I predict I would've gotten, it wouldn't compare to this."

"Let me guess: because I'm your fortune?" Fighter teased.

"You know it's not as worth saying if you steal it from me." Ranger playfully snapped which made her laugh at him.

"Hey, it's not my fault you tend to get too serious sometimes." Fighter said.

"Fair enough, but the sentiment still speaks for itself." Ranger said.

"That it does." Fighter said before giving him a quick but sweet kiss. "We have to send a letter to the Sword Maiden as soon as possible...I cannot wait to marry you."

"Nor I you. I'll send it first thing in the morning." Ranger said softly.

"That would be lovely." Fighter said before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again while he holds her hips. "I can't wait to see her face when we get back to Water Town."

"I'm sure she'll be thrilled for us." Ranger said.

"Also...we left some of Wizard's potion, you know the one that corrected her vision? We left some for Her Grace." Fighter said.

"Oh...that." Ranger said with a sigh. "Here's hoping it works and no one questions her too badly about the details."

"She has to be smart enough to know her secret could've come out, and prepare herself for it." Fighter said.

"She still shouldn't be pressured by those around her. She's been through too much hell as it is." Ranger said seriously.

"Be that as it may...she's the archbishop of the Supreme God; there's no way she's completely hopeless, even without our help." Fighter said.

"Right, and this isn't the time for worrying. We just got engaged; we should be bouncing off the walls instead of drooping." Ranger said half-jokingly which earned him a small but bright smile from his new fiance.

"Like checking to see who won that drinking contest?" Fighter asked.

"Like checking to see who won that drinking contest." Ranger said, and the two went inside...after Fighter undid her ponytail, which Ranger didn't see coming at all; that was supposed to be their thing, but...apparently it was her thing with the world now... "Apparently the dwarf won, can't say I'm surprised."

"Good thing we didn't bet anything." Ranger said.

"But some people did." Fighter said before noticing people giving them, or her, odd looks; apparently her hair being down was something they were going to have to get used to.

"I think people like your new look." Ranger whispered.

"If you can call it new..." Fighter said.

"Whoa, Fighter, Where did your ponytail go?" Wizard asked before spotting her ring. "Wait...is that what I think it is?"

"Yep...he asked me to marry him!" Fighter said before Wizard squealed and hugged her then Guild Girl got involved as Inspector engaged Ranger.

"You wanted this to be a secret didn't you? She asked.

"Yes I did. I take it you knew I was lying about my curiosity about adventurers with families?" Ranger said.

"Yes, but...you must have had a reason to do so, now we know why." Inspector said.

"There's no way I would come out with it on the spot considering her reaction. I owe that woman everything." Ranger said.

"Well, nothing but the best to you both." Inspector said warmly.

"Thank you very much." Ranger said before turning to the girls.

"How long were you planning this?" Guild Girl said.

"Since Water Town at least. Lizard Priest actually wished us as many children as we want, as awkward as it was..." Ranger said.

"Please don't remind us..." Wizard said.

"But these two were in each other's faces since day one." Warrior teased.

"Very funny." Fighter deadpanned which earned her a snicker from Warrior. "Wait...did you know about this?"

"Of course we did. We weren't about to spoil his surprise." Priestess said warmly.

"You two are hopeless...anyway, when we get the chance, we're going back to Water Town so the Sword Maiden can bless us." Fighter said.

"The Sword Maiden? We have to be there!" Inspector said excitedly.

"By all means come with us, especially you." Ranger said.

"Me?" Guild Girl asked.

"We wouldn't have met if you weren't there to receive us. Yes, I know anyone could have, but that doesn't change a thing." Ranger said.

"Well...o.k. then." Guild Girl said.

"And you get to meet the Sword Maiden, although...I think you'll have to wait for her to finish our wedding first." Ranger said.

"I don't care, I've wanted to meet her for...ages." Inspector said.

"Anyway, let's keep this as quiet as possible for now. We want to have our own celebrations first." Fighter said.

"Not a problem. Have fun you all." Guild Girl said, and with that, the team left to get some things done and left Ranger and Fighter to do their own thing, while Warrior went to check on the armor for Ranger's horse, Priestess went to check for any more demon activity, and check on the girls at the temple, and Wizard tested some magic traps, while the night was still young.

* * *

When Ranger and Fighter got to their room, they stripped each other and helped each other wash off with a bucket of lukewarm water and some towels, and this time, threw some massaging into the mix as they washed and worked each other's bodies from head to waist, to toe, and everything in-between, which made them both breathe harder, and had a minor flashback to their first time they touched each other. They gave small kisses, lashed tongues, and he ran his powerful hands up and down her moist body, from her toned arms and abs, to her ample breasts, to her strong, shapely legs and ass, to her adorable cheeks and luscious lips, on which he planted a soft kiss, then a deep one, and she rewards all of his efforts with pleasured gasps and moans, and caressing his body everywhere he touched hers on.. The heat from their breath and bodies themselves was making the pair's hunger for pleasure more powerful. Eventually, they look into each other's eyes, then she sits in his lap, and positions his shaft against her abdomen.

"Not yet..." Fighter teased.

"Relax, I can wait, but not too long." Ranger retorted which earned him a lecherous chuckle from his fiance, then she backed up a bit, grabbed her breasts and raised them a bit, silently asking him to lick her nipples, which he complies and she leans her head back and focuses on the bliss and love he bathes her in. As he sucks on her breasts like a starving infant, she holds the back of his head with one hand, and strokes his shaft with the other, which makes him growl in pleasure and makes him knead the breast he's not sucking as he goes back and forth between them. Then he presses the two globes of flesh together and licks both nipples at once as she stroked his manhood more rapidly in return. Eventually, he groans in pleasure as his seed sprays over her abdomen, and she groans in-sync with him. She even sprays out a small amount of milk from each nipple, and the intimacy spoke for itself; he drank as much of the amount that came out as he could, then they let the atmosphere sink in for a bit. The two then stared at each other again, drunk on their affections, and she hugged his head to her chest, as he nuzzled her breasts with his face; she was thankful he still shaved.

"We should probably clean your stomach off baby..." Ranger said with a voice still laced with lust that made her breast vibrate, much to her pleasure.

"By all means..." Fighter said. before he licks her neck, before he grabs their towel and cleans his seed off of her abdomen.

"You know...I did drink some potion earlier..." Ranger said, and with that...he pulled her up, and she licks her lips reflexively which made him suck in a breath. "Unless you want me to tear into you...do not do that again..." With that, raises both eyebrows, and licks her lips again, and even threw in a lustful moan...then he practically slams his lips onto hers, and she wraps one leg around his hips, and he holds her leg up by her thigh, and his other hand grips her softened ass cheek, then pulls away, then carefully lifts her up by the other leg, then she wraps her arms around his shoulders as he pushes into her entrance, and since she was used to him being inside her, he had no reason to be soft on her, so he thrusted into her with decent speed, but not too much force.

Regardless, her face lit up like a torch with euphoria, and about five seconds later, he stopped, which made her look at him with displeasure, then he placed her upper body onto the mattress, then gripped her butt in order to raise her up to be in-line with his manhood, then continued thrusting into her tightening womanhood, and her pleasured gasping continued as she wrapped her legs around his hips, as if to prevent him from stopping before they burst, which happens a good six seconds later. Afterwards, he positions her so she's laying down properly, as he lays down next to her, and before either knew it, they were wrapped in each other's arms, and off to sleep.

* * *

The engaged pair woke up just before dawn, and Fighter was looking at the man who never failed to amaze her, especially during the times they're consumed by lust. Lust that threatened to grip her again when her engagement to him snapped to her front of her mind again, and when he woke up...she was looking right at him like she never saw a better sight.

"Good morning, my powerful future husband." Fighter said dreamily as she rubbed her body against his.

"Good morning, my lovely future wife." Ranger said just as dreamily as he ran his hand through her silky hair before some thoughts crossed his mind.

"Is something wrong?" Fighter asked.

"It's just...you know how I kept going on about our ranks?" Ranger asked and Fighter nodded. "Well...I have to admit, I'm more than a bit envious of the Hero, and also curious about her fight with the Demon Lord. Did she do it alone? Was it a toe-to-toe fight, or did she have an unfair edge like we had against that demon general? How close was the match?"

"We could ask her if and when we see her." Fighter said.

"Maybe, but the idea of a single person being able to handle what we could as a team, by themselves is...demoralizing to a degree." Ranger said with his discouragement evident in his voice.

"Hey, as the rate we're going, we'll be be Platinum Ranks, or at least at the same level in several years at the latest." Fighter said as she caressed his face. "And like I said, we can ask the Hero how she did it when we see her. We could even ask Guild Girl when we next see her; all this aimless guessing is getting us nowhere." With that, she felt him suck in a breath, which signaled that he was accepting the situation at least a bit.

"I suppose that's true..." Ranger said softly, then Fighter snuggled into him, as he wrapped his muscular arms around her toned yet plump frame, and held her head with one hand, stroked her night-black hair, and inhaled that feminine scent of hers that always reinforced his passion for her.

"May I ask when you took that potion?" Fighter asked.

"Shortly after our lunch yesterday." Ranger said, that meant they had until midday to have another mating session. "Don't tell me you aren't satisfied."

"I was last night...but not anymore..." Fighter said before she licks him just under the ear and softly massaged his pec. She then then climbs on top of him, then kisses him as deeply as possible, while lashing tongues with him and chuckling into their kiss as he grips and kneads her buttocks. Just like that, his envy, doubts, and especially his hunger, dissolved like they weren't even there.

Then she raised up, grabed his shaft, and positioned it properly so it could be inserted into her as she lowers herself onto it, then bobbed herself up and down and her great and honorable leader beneath her watched her hair wave back and forth, and her lovely breasts flop around until he gripped both of them and squeezed them repeatedly with a decent amount of force to add to her pleasure, which was evident with her moans, which turned into gasps when he thrusts up into her moist, and gradually-tightening womanhood in-sync with her own thrusts. Eventually, both of them snapped and she collapsed on stop of him as they laid there breathing deeply and feeling each other's hearts race.

"Where's a vat of ice cream when you need it..." Ranger groaned as Fighter giggled.

"And I thought I was insatiable. Didn't you say we should slow down?" Fighter asked.

"Hey...at least we didn't make love twice in a row, without a break. I'm still amazed I can think clearly enough to consider ice cream." Ranger said, and his fiance couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Look at us, we just went at it like animals, then...random thoughts about ice cream pop up. Who does that?" Fighter asked, and with that, Ranger flipped them over and Fighter watched his hair fall around his face like hers did a minute ago.

"Maybe two people who go through hell, literally and metaphorically, made the piece of the world they live in into a slice of Heaven, then topped it off by formally promising each other their very lives." Ranger said both jokingly and seriously...somehow.

"Good point..." Fighter said before Ranger kisses her with some leftover hunger, that turns into tenderness as he massages her creamy thigh, moves his hand up her hip, to her stomach and listens to her giggle from the ticklishness and he backs up to see her face which he smiled at before giving another quick but sweet kiss, before he caresses her inner thighs before moving his hand between her legs and stroked her womanhood with one finger for each side, which she gasped at right away from the sudden pleasure that made her tighten her legs. He was glad he remembered to cut his fingernails; there were some times were he got so wrapped up in what was going on, he forgot to trim them, and either scratched himself, or it hit him that he could scratch someone else. He didn't _dare_ think of scratching his fiance between the legs...

"Need I remind you that you did something similar to me last night?" Ranger said smugly.

"Just...keep it up..." Fighter said before gasping more to the point where she stuffed part of the blanket in her mouth to keep the others from waking. Their first session wasn't too loud, but this was getting a bit much. Eventually, Ranger stopped and she looked at him curiously. He pulled a stunt similar last night; could this be another?

"Should I make you snap in the proper way?" Ranger said huskily.

"Like I said...keep it up. I don't care how." Fighter whispered, and Ranger flipped her over, caressed her ass cheeks and hips while coaxing her to raise her lower body off the bed, spread her legs some more, then pushed into her, and for the next 10 to 15 seconds, the room was filled with the sounds of Ranger's groin rapidly slamming into Fighter's round, supple buttocks, her pleasured moans and gasps, and the mattress creaking a bit from the force as his swollen manhood slipped in and out of her. Eventually, the two snapped from the euphoria, and he laid down on top of her with his shaft still buried inside of her womanhood. The unfocused yet dreamy look on Fighter's face said it all: she was a woman who's mind was flooded with pleasure, and the knowledge that he was the one responsible for it felt _great_. He enjoyed seeing her lose her mind with pleasure more than he enjoyed touching her body, which was a serious statement if there ever was one.

He has always thought her body was a wonder; even Sword Maiden, Guild girl, or Cow girl didn't wow him as much. Even though Sword Maiden was still the most majestic woman he knew, Guild girl was, of course, a total doll, and Cow Girl was a mix of both their charms, none of them had the grace, strength, and raw beauty that Fighter had, let along the ability to strike a nearly flawless balance between them. Her fortitude, compassion, loyalty, and wit were just overkill; even if the other women he knew were more appealing to him, Fighter would still have a solid place in his heart. He once said the man that caught Guild Girl's eye would be a lucky man, and he stood by that sentiment, as for Cow Girl...it was pretty obvious Goblin Slayer deserved her affections, not only because her mutual loyalty to him, childlike innocence, and inhumanly healthy figure, but also because, if he was to be frank, if being intimate with her would have the same effect on Goblin Slayer as being intimate with Fighter was for him, then Goblin Slayer was _set_.

Heaven knew he was owed a great deal. It then occurred to Ranger that the chance of Cow Girl being ensnared by goblins was probably part of Goblin Slayer's drive to exterminate them. He couldn't say he blamed him; Cow Girl was an incredible woman and deserved all the preservation in the world. Sword Maiden's case was...tricky. He wished her nothing but the best of luck in her recovery, and hoped she would shed the skin of defilement she felt trapped in, but he wasn't aware if her status forbade her from having a family of her own, even if she did find someone who could mutually love her aside from Goblin Slayer.

But this wasn't the time for thinking about that; he had a loving and glorious fiance underneath him that was practically delirious with pleasure, sucking in breathe after breathe like she nearly drowned, and her heart was pounding like a drum.

"How much do you have in you...?" She asked groggily.

"We're not going a third round. You look like you've had enough as it is." Ranger said seriously despite his own grogginess.

"Still...I feel like I could spend a whole day like this..." Fighter said.

"I can relate; seeing you like this is something I wouldn't trade for anything. To be honest, if you ask me, the _only_ reason a woman should ever look the way you do now, is because she just got her brains fucked out." Ranger said seriously yet playfully, and Fighter laughed as Ranger detached himself from her body, which made her groan, then he gave both her butt cheeks a quick but firm squeeze, then he cleaned himself off with the towel and fetched their clothes. "Come on, we have a new day ahead of us."

"Do I have to?" Fighter asked playfully with a small pout which Ranger couldn't help but smile at; sometimes she was too adorable for her own good.

"Yes, you do. We should go see what the others are up to." Ranger said as he put his pants and underarmor on.

"They're probably either giving us our space, or knowing Wizard, she's working on our equipment." Fighter said as she puts her clothes and armor pieces on.

"I hope so. There are Silver Ranks with our names on them out there." Ranger said half-jokingly and as he stood up, Fighter took his hand, stood up and embraced him.

"Thank you..." Fighter whispered.

"For?" Ranger asked.

"Being with me. In this bed, in battle, around people, in Hell itself, and...in our future." Fighter said, and Ranger returned the embrace and kissed her forehead.

"I want to be with you in Heaven as well." Ranger whispered softly as he took both her hands and locked them with his in-between their chests. "And if the Death God takes my soul to Heaven's gates before he takes yours there, I will not enter without you."

"Nor will I without you." Fighter whispered against his lips before closing the last few millimeters and they stood there taking each other's kiss, which quickly turned into a succession of kisses, each one as passionate as the last. With their hunger satisfied, the love fueling them was free to flow forth. They then slowly and steadily lash tongues as their love pours like rain over them. A few seconds later, she rested her head on his shoulder and thought for a moment that she could just fall asleep in her fiance's arms and nothing would be able to touch her. "Our wedding cannot happen soon enough."

"I rarely agree with you this much." Ranger whispered next to her head, as they shifted in each other's strong and loving arms. "Come, we should see what's going on." With that, the pair went downstairs and found Wizard working on Fighter's bow, and the two arbalests.

"Good morning rabbits." Wizard teased.

"What?" Fighter asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Please, Priestess actually used the miracle of Silence on your room last night; we had a sense you two would bite chunks out of each other, and from the looks of you...we were dead-on correct." Wizard said.

"Wizard..." Ranger deadpanned..

"Hey, like I told her: if you want to go to where kids start their lives, who am I to say no?" Wizard said seriously before going back to what she was doing.

"What are you doing?" Fighter asked.

"Enchanting your weapons. What's it look like I'm doing?" Wizard said before showing two markings on her bow. "See these? Touch one mark, and your shot will turn into several in-flight, touch the other, and each shot will hit with the force of a hammer swing, and no, you can't do both at once. I'm good at enchanting, but I haven't mastered it yet."

"It's still something I wish we had earlier." Ranger said impressed.

"Hey, I can only enchant so much at once, plus we had alot going on. I even made a handful of summon stones. Speaking of which, remember how I mentioned mixing health, stamina, and strength potions together? Well...it works. I actually messed up a few times when I was making those stones, and I tested a potion on myself, and I went from puking my guts out and barely being able to stand up, to...well, normal." Wizard said.

"Are you sure you're o.k. now?" Ranger asked with concern.

"Yes. I had a...pretty serious mess to clean up, but I'm alright. I'm also a bit pissed about my dress, even though it wasn't too big a hassle to clean." Wizard said.

"Women..." Warrior said as he came out of his room. "Why is that dress more serious than your health?"

"Speak for yourself; I can recover, my clothes can't." Wizard said.

"The lady has a point. Anyway, how about we put our new bows to use?" Ranger asked.

"FYI, I also put a force enchantment on your shield Warrior." Wizard said.

"Ey, I want to see that in action, now!" Warrior said as if itching to test it.

* * *

The three shooters fell in love with their enchanted crossbows and bow instantly. When they tested the multi-shot enchantment, they found that their shots did in-fact turn into up to six shots and as a pleasant bonus, this meant that they could obtain more ammo since bolts and arrows could be reused. The strong shot enchantment made the dummies that the team shot get launched back several feet as if they were hit by a hammer, just like Wizard claimed...though it was more like it was punched by a hob. Warrior tried using both enchantments at once, but the one he activated first deactivated at the same time the other activated; they really could only use one enchantment at a time.

"Oh yes, this will do nicely." Warrior said.

"And it's a good thing dwarven arbalests are a dream to pull back. I was a bit afraid that the draw would be too much and slow us down, but these things are quick as a regular bow." Ranger said.

"Speaking of which, High Elf Archer wasn't kidding when she said elven bows were peerless. This one isn't just better-looking, but it's also handles better. than a regular one." Fighter said.

"I have to admit, the extra ammo perk is something I didn't see coming." Wizard said thoughtfully.

"Hey, more arrows and bolts means more dead goblins. Yes I know, I sounded like Goblin Slayer, but who's surprised?" Warrior said.

"Speaking of whom, he should've been back from that farm by now." Ranger said as he looked around for him.

"Maybe he's just spending some time with that farm girl. And who can blame him? She's a total fox." Warrior said.

"She's...how am I going to put this? _Very_ far out of your league. Now...test that shield of yours, like I told you." Wizard said, and with that, Warrior unfolded the shield, activated the marking on it's inside, then charged at a dummy, and bashed it with the flat of the shield, and the dummy was sent flying by a shockwave from the center of the shield. Warrior's eyes then went wide, then he hit another with the edge of the shield and the dummy cracks apart from the inside-out, and Warrior barely tapped it by comparison. He also gave the inside of the shield a punch, and another shockwave knocked a few dummies to the ground.

"O.k...now let's test it's repulsion." Warrior said as he knelt, covered himself in the shield, and took one arrow and bolt after another with both enchantments thrown into the mix, and Warrior just got knocked back a bit; his shield isn't just enchanted, it's also reinforced; the dwarves not only threw some of their smithing know-how at it, but also because Wizard used her magic on it, of course.

"Hey! Everyone! Father Superior is here!" Priestess yelled as she rushed to the team from the temple.

"What? That's new." Warrior said as the team went to the temple to see Abbot, who was actually talking to one of the rescued girls.

"...and if Her Grace can get past this, so can you." Abbot said to the girl.

"I...I don't know." she said.

"Listen. The Archbishop has lived with her suffering for at least a decade, and her life was barely worth living. Now, the goblins who caused her suffering are being punished in Purgatory as we speak, as are the goblins who caused yours, and we have the same team who rescued you, and your new sisters to thank for both cases. They have joined the Goblin Slayer's crusade against the goblins, and swore they would stop at nothing to see them erased from this world, and they have nearly succeeded." Abbot said.

"They have...?" The girl asked.

"Yes. They are living proof that the Supreme God's justice never fails. Like I said before: they didn't think they would get as strong as they are now, and if it can happen for them, it can happen for you. There is a chance for you to build something new here, and I am certain your friends and family would want to see you rise from these ashes. All you need do, is believe that you can." Abbot said.

"I...I will try..." The girl said while shaking.

"Very good..." Abbot said before noticing the team. "I must go now, Supreme be with you my child."

"Thank you...Father..." The girl whispered while shaking even harder and lowering her head, while the Abbot went to the team.

"That was lovely Father Superior." Priestess said as she embraced the old man.

"She deserves nothing less child." Abbot said.

"Have you seen cases like this before Father?" Wizard said cautiously.

"I have seen cases that are arguably worse. During my time as a demon hunter, I have seen cases where not goblins, but men possessed, or at least lured by demons were the culprits, if the demons themselves weren't, and even then, the results varied. Some women were able to throw off the demons' yoke and either become nuns, demons hunters themselves, start their own families with men who's love for them was as pure as it could be. Granted, not all cases ended happily; some victims committed suicide. All I could do for them is pray the Supreme offered them a place in Heaven to let justice be done in full." Abbot said grimly.

"Seems we've all seen our fair share of loss." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"But not all _can_ be lost my son, both in the present, or future." Abbot said. "These women might have lost what they had before, but that does not mean they cannot have something new. Some might even start families of their own; see that there is a correct way to have one. But if they were to retrieve what they lost, their former selves that is, well...it would take quite some time, if they ever do at all."

"One can certainly hope." Warrior said.

"Anyway, as touching as this is, I doubt this is why you came here Father." Ranger said.

"Quite right." Abbot said as he handed over a letter. "Normally I would hire a messenger to deliver this, but aside from my side mission here, I have good reason to do this personally."

"What is it Father Superior?" Priestess asked as the old man sighed.

"The information I wrote on that letter is something I do not even trust the archbishop with, let alone the people of this town." Abbot said seriously which made the whole team recoil. "She has too much on her plate as it is; the last thing I want is to burden her mind even further. As for the rest of the people...well, if the information I wrote were to be known by the wrong people, it could spell disaster for the whole kingdom, maybe even the world. So, go to where you feel you will not be disturbed, make sure what I wrote sinks in well enough, burn the letter, and do not, under _any_ circumstances share what you read, do you understand?"

"Yes Father." Ranger said and his team all nodded.

"Very good. Now my child? Have you tried the miracles I have given you?" Abbot said.

"Yes I have. I can't wait to use them in the next battle. I've even shared some of my knowledge with another cleric yesterday." Priestess said.

"Excellent. You could very well become a full-fledged demon hunter yourself someday. Maybe even the archbishop." Abbot said.

"O.k...that would be something else." Wizard said with wide eyes.

"It's not impossible. We went from Porcelain to Bronze is less than half a year." Fighter said.

"And it amazes me to this today; such progress is quite rare. Anyway, I must be on my way now. Supreme be with you all." Abbot said, and with that, he went back to the cart he came in, the brothers who escorted him entered the cart as well, then they hit the road back to the monastery they came from, while Ranger and the team went back to their apartments, sat down in the main hall, and read the old man's letter...

* * *

_Dear Ranger and Friends_

_It has come to my attention that you have been gripped by envy towards the Hero for her having defeated the Demon Lord. You should know that her power comes directly from the holy sword she wields. While it is no where near as powerful as the Champion's armor, it still makes her a force to be reckoned with. She retrieved this sword after her own sword broke when fighting the same demon general you and your team fought in Hell, and even then, she simply lets her sword fight for her. Considering it's incredible power, this should come as no surprise, but if it were in the hands of someone who was actually versed in swordsmanship, like yourself, this sword could cause even more trouble for the corrupt forces plaguing this world than it already is. Another thing, the Hero may be one of the most powerful people in the world, but she is young, overconfident, reckless, and sometimes, downright foolish. While I pray this does not become her undoing, these traits are still restraining her in a way that you are not effected by. On top of all of that, she is accompanied by two other women who tend to be the voices of reason she would otherwise lack. The three ladies even went around interrupting sacrifices to the Demon Lord in order to weaken him so they would have an easier fight, which is another reason for their victory._

_Make no mistake, I am not telling you this so you can raise your hand against her. __The only reason I even entertained the idea of telling you this is because you have proven yourselves trustworthy more times than I dare count. You should also know that there are multiple ways to become a Platinum Rank. Defeating the Demon Lord is the quickest way by far, but there are other ways nonetheless, and each one involves preventing a full-scale disaster or proving that you are worth an army of high-ranking adventurers in one form or another. The Champion of the Supreme God I mentioned accomplished both of these things at once, and he not only became the first Platinum Rank, but he set a standard no one surpassed, equaled, or even rivaled since, even though it cost him his life. Let this be a lesson children: envy may be strong, but it is ultimately weightless. The Champion's very life was the price of his godlike power, whereas the Hero is no where near as powerful as he was, yet she is in no danger of dying, whereas again, you are all no where near as strong as the Hero, but your skills and power come from effort alone, which is the purest form of growth. I said before that you may all become Platinum Ranks some day. I was understating you; at the rate I now see, each of you will become even greater heroes than she is._

_Many Blessings Upon You  
Abbot_

_P.S. a long and happy marriage to you both_

"I don't believe this...no wonder the old man didn't want this information to get out. This is _huge_..." Warrior said in awe.

"No kidding. But it's good to see he has this kind of faith in us." Wizard said in awe before smiling.

"Sir? Did you really envy the Hero?" Priestess asked which made Ranger sigh.

"Yes...I...I want all of us to get to Silver Rank of course, but...I didn't want that to be the line we couldn't go past; I had hope that we'd be able to get to Gold or maybe even Platinum at some point, but seeing as the Hero defeated the Demon Lord, as assuring as that is, it also raised alot of unanswered questions that bit pretty large chunks out of my hopes. But no more..." Ranger said.

"Ranger..." Priestess said softly.

"I'm not like Goblin Slayer, at least not entirely. I want to see the goblins wiped out almost as much as he does...but I also want the five of us to make as much of a name for ourselves as possible, and what better way way to do so then by making a difference, and what better way to make a difference than by getting stronger and putting it to use?" Ranger said.

"But now we know that we have no real limits." Fighter said firmly; the two discussed Ranger's envy just this morning, and she was as relieved as he was to see the fair and whole truth flow forth. "And when we're done with the goblins, we can really go for the larger game."

"He also said that the Hero just lets her sword fight for her right? Well..imagine what would happen if we did get our own versions and put our skills to use on top of their power. I'm actually alittle scared of that." Warrior said.

"Right...and Goblin Slayer demonstrated that improvisation is about as much of a virtue as skill and power themselves. What a ranger he would've made..." Ranger said as he looked into the distance.

"Now that I have the miracle of Empower, I could eventually give you all power that's at least similar to the Hero's, and who knows, the miracles might stick for good, at least somewhat." Priestess said.

"And if enough of each miracle stuck...it would add up." Ranger said in awe.

"I doubt there wouldn't be a limit though." Fighter said which brought Ranger back down to Earth.

"Of course, but if the excess were to at least be stored somehow and used for when it was needed, then we would _really_ be in business." Ranger said.

"And I'm just the girl to put that insane yet incredible plan into action, should I be given the chance, right tools for the trade, and enough to work with." Wizard said.

"Well, needless to say, we are not trying that now. Now, we need to find Goblin Slayer..." Ranger said.

"What for?" Fighter asked.

"To discuss a way to attack the goblins." Ranger said firmly.

"Boss?" Warrior asked.

"There's no way the goblins are out of the picture for good; if someone is leading them, and they gather enough of their numbers, they'll return in force, and most likely take a place that no one would want them to take. We have to take the fight to them before that happens." Ranger said seriously.

"It just now hit me that this is the only real time we discussed this kind of military shenanigan. Are you sure your father wasn't a general?" Wizard asked which made Ranger huff in amusement.

"No, but rangers train to use tactics that...dare I say it, are similar to the goblins, and like Goblin Slayer said: thinking like goblins helps you slay them. And rangers work in small groups; the idea of an entire army of goblins using similar tactics...I shudder at the thought..." Ranger said before he took a moment to get ahold of himself. "As for this being the first time we discussed this? Well...there was little point beforehand; Goblin Slayer showed us about as much as we needed to know about how to outsmart and outfight the goblins, which makes discussing tactics used during traditional warfare almost pointless, until now."

"Well, whatever the case, I'm sure you'll get a chance to make us all generals later in the future. Now let's go find Goblin Slayer and give him the food for thought we just cooked." Fighter said half-jokingly.

"There he is right now." Priestess said as she looked out the window, and then the team went to see GS who went inside the tavern...

* * *

"Goblin Slayer!" Priestess said as the team went inside.

"Yes?" GS said.

"We have an idea to run by you." Ranger said.

"Please, make it quick!" GS said urgently.

"What if we actually went after the goblins instead of waiting for them to make a move?" Ranger said.

"It's too late for that, the goblins are already planning a move..." GS said grimly which alarmed the team.

"What?" Ranger asked with concern.

"I found tracks that belong to a scouting party outside the farm. They probably intend to make a base out of it." GS said.

"How many goblins do you think there are?" Fighter asked nervously.

"At least a hundred, maybe even a thousand...!" GS said clenching his fists.

"What about that girl who lives there?" Ranger asked.

"She's staying..." GS said grimly, which made Ranger's eyes widen. If the goblins take that place, then not only will she be violated by an entire army of goblins, but also be used to increase their numbers even more, and the world will have been robbed of a pure and innocent woman who was clearly given the blessing of the Love Goddess many times over. The very idea made Ranger's stomach churn; if _he_ could barely handle it, he couldn't imagine how Goblin Slayer felt.

"We fought hordes of demons before; a legion of goblins shouldn't be that big a problem for us right?" Warrior said desperately trying to raise the team's spirits.

"We had three demon hunters with us, as well as a magic type they were weak again. I don't even think all nine of us will be enough." GS said.

"Then what can we do?" Priestess said, but GS was already on it; he went to a table that Spearman and a few others were at.

"Well, look who it is. Figured you crawled off and died somewhere. You just gonna stand there, or what?" Spearman asked.

"I apologize, but hear me out. I have a request." GS said and got the crowd's attention right away; some voiced their surprise that he's asking for help since he's a solo act mostly, but some said he's been going out with a party recently. "A horde of goblins has been scouting a farm on the outskirts of town. I don't know how many there are, but they'll probably attack tonight."

"Something about goblins, big surprise huh?" One of the adventurers said.

"What's the big deal about a horde of goblins?" Another asked.

"Judging by the footprints the scouts left, they're being led by a goblin lord, which means there's at least a hundred of them." GS said, which got the crowd's attention; some doubted that was possible, others were somewhat spooked, and others just didn't follow. "Lords are a mutated class of goblins that excel in leadership; think of them as the top-ranks, and the horde that it's leading will be here soon. There's no time. I could handle them in a cave, but I can't kill them out in the open alone." He then bowed to the crowd. "Please, I'm asking for your help." The crowd then murmured to themselves, then outright expressed their refusal to help him. How senseless were these people?

"Hey!" Spearman said as he stood up. "Listen, I don't think you understand how this works. This guild hall is for adventurers, and everyone here falls under that banner. Which means we don't do anything as a favor, so put up a quest, and offer up a reward. Am I right?" The crowd immediately started cheering in agreement. Ranger then saw High Elf Archer throw a small fit on the upper floor which required Lizard Priest and Dwarf Shaman to step in and stop her. He couldn't say he blamed her; his own patience was running dry with the crowd's apathy, and from the looks on his team's faces, especially Fighter and Priestess', so were theirs. Guild Girl then apparently had a stroke of inspiration and rushed to the back. If she was going to offer a reward of her own, and encourage the crowd to help Goblin Slayer, and the team of course, take down the goblins...bless that woman.

"Yes, you're right." GS said somberly.

"So, what are you offering? What's the elimination of one hundred goblins worth to you?" Spearman asked.

"_Everything_..." GS said in a hushed whisper that sobered everyone in he room. "I'll offer everything I have as a reward."

"And...what does that entail?" Someone asked cautiously.

"All of my belongings, and everything within my discretion. My equipment, my assets, my knowledge, my time..." GS said.

"Even your life?" Spearman asked seriously.

"Yes, if that's what's necessary." GS said.

"And would you take your life if I asked you to?" Spearman asked which made the team uneasy; what the hell was going on?

"No, I can't do that." GS said.

"Why?" Spearman asked.

"Because if I did, it would hurt someone important. I was told I can't let that happen." GS said. Did he mean the archbishop, or that farm girl? Either way, this better end soon... "So I suppose, my life _isn't_ within my discretion." This made Spearman groan.

"I _really_ have no clue what's going under that beat-up old helmet of yours, but it's fairly obvious you're serious about this." Spearman said like he was tired.

"Yes. Extremely serious." GS said.

"Wait, get your team to help you out!" One of the adventurers said and others quickly agreed.

"They're not enough. I said there's at least a hundred, but there could easily be more; there could be several hundred, maybe even a thousand. Please...I cannot do this without your help." GS said firmly, and with that, the crowd died down.

"Well damn it all to hell..." Spearman said before pounding GS' breastplate with his fist. "I wouldn't ask you to off yourself anyway, you dimwit. A strong drink will suffice! Come on, that's an amazing deal: a man of my prestige agreed to slay no small number of goblins for you. Where's your gratitude?"

"Of course. Forgive me." GS said before bowing. "Thank you..."

"Uhh, alright that's enough, just thank me after we've tallied up our kills." Spearman said awkwardly before H.E. Archer jumped down dramatically.

"I'm in! I'll slay some goblins with you gladly, but I'm asking for something in return from you as well. Once all this is over, promise that you'll come with us on a real adventure." She called.

"I swear it." GS said firmly.

"My price is a bit steeper than just one drink Beard-Cutter. I'm going to need a whole barrel." Dwarf Shaman said seriously.

"All right." GS said with amusement, which made the team question his mentality. "Then you'll have it."

"I'd also like to join our elven friend on this grand adventure, if you'll have me." Dwarf Shaman said.

"I wouldn't dream of going without my party." H.E. Archer said, nice to see she was lightening up.

"By that logic, I can assume I shall also be included in your numbers. Though I don't mind helping out a comrade in need, if I were to ask for a small token of reward..." Lizard Priest said.

"Cheese?" GS asked.

"That, and one more item would be appropriate..." Lizard Priest said.

"Ice cream?" GS guessed and Lizard Priest's face lit up like a torch.

"Oh that's _perfect_! A reward even the gods would envy..." Lizard Priest said.

"They don't belong to me, but they are made at the farm." GS said.

"If wiping out the subterranean scourge would also protect that exquisite ambrosia count me in!" Lizard Priest said firmly.

"Well now, that makes five." Spearman said.

"There _were_ five. I'll be six." Witch said as she stood up and puffed some smoke. "Brilliant...it seems your flame has drawn more moths to it, but will they burn their wings?"

"Poetic, powerful, _and_ a looker..." Warrior said with an eyebrow raised. "Why the hell has that Spearman not married her yet?"

"That's what I want to know..." Ranger said before Guild Girl came out in a hurry.

"Listen up everyone! I have an announcement! The guild's offering a quest as well! There is now a reward of one gold coin for every goblin slain! How's that for incentive?" She asked. The crowd started murmuring and Ranger couldn't help but chuckle; this alone was enough to make him want to invite her to his and Fighter's wedding a second time, especially since her announcement worked wonders. The adventurers rallied in droves, even the veterans volunteered to help exterminate the goblins.

* * *

The team meanwhile went home to get their shit together, which included Wizard going through the final part of her spellbook...at last: the one involving alchemy, the art of using magic on materials themselves. Transmuting materials together or turning them into other materials was just a card trick; this was the one that discussed turning a small amount into a large amount. There have even been cases in the past involving creating artificial humans. Granted that practice is outlawed since it's seen as a crime against nature, but there are several obvious alternatives. She had the idea of having the team's outfits enhance their physical prowess, on top of the enchantments themselves, which are more specialized, and she started by merging her dress and armored robe together into a single outfit that was both stylish, and protective.

She also turned her staff with a spearhead, into an actual spear with a small macehead at the base, and made her hat merge with her cloak to give her a hood that was able to cover half her face if she wanted it to. After she was done, she went over the results, ironed out some faultiness here and there, but in the end...it was _well_ worth the effort. She then downed a magic-restore potion; a thousand goblins was far too much for her to rely on her new gear, even if it blew her original gear out of the water. It was a good thing Wizard had some minor practice in using her staff as a spear, so using her new spear wasn't going to be an issue, although she wished she got in more practice...she intended it to be a last resort anyway. She could either watch Spearman fight, or ask him for training later on if possible. Then a thought occurred to her...

"Hey Warrior! Boss!" She called to them and they came went to her right away. "Let me see your swords." They then forked over their swords, and she analyzed the three of them, noticed the one GS used to kill the demon general still had some residual blood on it; she read that dragon blood had supernatural properties, which was not only easy to believe, but made her realize that when combined with either holy or unholy essence, like demon blood, could make his swords more potent than they already were, and it was relatively safe to say that Warrior and Ranger weren't in danger of being tainted by the demon's blood.

Not only were they strong-willed beyond words, and smart enough to know dealing with demonic shenanigans was a bad idea, but they also has Priestess' holy arts on their side, and that's not even counting Fighter's love that ran as deep as the ocean itself from the look of things. Fighter was engaged to Ranger, and she's seen Warrior as a brother for years on-end. Anyway, she looked at the one with demon blood, used some minor alchemy to move some demonic residue from the 1st sword to the other two, and since this was blood from a demon general, the difference was practically non-existent, and then...she activated the blood and merged the two types, and the swords gave of blood-red flames which alarmed the team.

"Priestess! Help!" Priestess then rushed it. "Use Holy Light on these swords, quick!" Priestess then used Holy Light to smother the demonic energy coming from the swords, and when the light died down, the swords were still burning but calmed down eventually, and the team calmed down, then Fighter was seen with an alarmed look in the face.

"What in the name of all that's sacred are you doing in here?" She asked.

"I figured that the blood from that general could be used to make these swords even better than they were before, but...I didn't expect them to burst into flames like that. Wait, try to empower them." Wizard said.

"Hear me great Supreme God. Grant us your power to aid us in the battle to come. Empower!" Priestess prayed and the three blades glowed with a golden-white light and Wizard analyzed the effects.

"O.k...so far so good." Wizard said. "The holy energy and unholy essences are balancing out." The Empower then wore off, and so did the demonic flames. "Wow...that was fast."

"Did it work?" Ranger asked.

"I think so; the three blades seem much more...stable than they did at first, especially the one that had the demon general's blood on it." Wizard said as she gave the two men their swords back. "You two could probably kill that ogre by yourselves with these."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We only lived because Priestess was there to block it's fire." Ranger said.

"That reminds me!" Wizard said as she went to a drawer and gave the team each a belt buckle with a ruby on it. "Those are all enchanted with anti-magic, so that incident with the goblin champion isn't likely to happen again."

"Isn't likely? Do they even work?" Warrior asked.

"Yes, I've tested them." Wizard said softly.

"How?" Fighter asked.

"On myself." Wizard said which alarmed the team. "I actually used Reflect on a minor fire spell to make it hit me, and the enchantment held firm as if it wasn't hit at all."

"Are you crazy? You could've died!" Warrior exclaimed.

"No I would've been burned a bit. Can't say I wouldn't deserve it..." Wizard said somberly and Warrior walked right up to her and hugged her.

"Our boss is alive and well; he's getting _married_ for the Supreme's sake. He also got revenge thanks to your distraction, and there's no way you could've known that champion knew a Reflect spell, and...I still think you're crazy, but if it works, then...that champion must be turning in his grave right now." He said softly, and Wizard then chuckled at this, then hugged Warrior back.

"Thank you..." She whispered, she opened one eye a bit to see the team watching them stand there embracing like they're perfectly o.k. with it. "Well, not that this isn't touching, but don't we have more preparations to do?"

"Right, we're going to have a field full of goblin heads to bust." Warrior said.

"Is that you're catchphrase or something?" Fighter asked.

"Oh can it." Warrior deadpanned which got some laughs from the team who all went back to their own things.

Ranger went to his and Fighter's room then used the hairband she's no longer using to tie his own hair into a small , low ponytail, with some huge bangs on the side, while Fighter looked over the dwarven dagger they got from the mine and sheathed it just above her ass. She then noticed Ranger trying his new look, and went over to him.

"How do I look?" Ranger asked

"Whenever I think you can't get more handsome, I'm proven wrong." Fighter said, which makes him look right at her in disbelief.

"Did...you just flip what I said to you?" Ranger asked with amusement.

"What do you think?" Fighter asked, as she walked up to him and hugged him.

"I also used you hairband to tie it. See?" Ranger said as Fighter looked his hair over

"Huh...fancy that." She said

"You have to admit it's fitting." Ranger said.

"Fitting? It's practically poetic." Fighter said before she pulls her dagger. "Remember this? Yes, I know I sheath it just above my butt, keep the jokes to yourself."

"I have no jokes, only notes." Ranger teased.

"Even worse..." Fighter said.

"Hardly, but point taken; this isn't the time to get into that." Ranger said.

"Ranger...this is probably going to be the hardest fight we've been in, if something-" Ranger cuts her off.

"Stop. We have an army of our own to fight with, and I asked Priestess to send letters I wrote to Abbot and the demon hunters to send whatever help they can, as well as send a note to the Sword Maiden to prepare our wedding." Ranger said and noted how worried Fighter was, and she started shaking when he mentions his letters, which makes him hug her until she stops shaking. "We _will_ get married, and in _this_ life, not the next."

"I know, but...a legion of goblins; how did we miss so many?" Fighter asked in awe.

"Maybe they were gathered from different places. Goblin Slayer said lords excel in leadership." Ranger said before taking her hand. "But they're going to need that."

"We have leadership on our side too." Fighter said softly before kissing him twice. "I love you."

" I love you too." Ranger said before kissing her again, and she hugged him tighter before breaking the kiss and resting her head on his shoulder. "Come on, we have some goblin heads to bust." Fighter then smiled at his reference to Warrior before joining their team and went to the stable... "What have they done to my horse?" Ranger's horse was covered from horse to tail in golden-bronze armor.

"Oh, didn't I mention that the dwarves outfitted your horse with armor and I enchanted it to make it so that when it reaches full speed it's like a very small hurricane that blows away anyone that it hits? Yes I said all that..." Wizard said.

"Well...here's hoping it makes as much of a difference as it needs to." Ranger said as they attached the cart to it, loaded their supplies, and followed GS and the small army they assembled...

* * *

It was nearing twilight when the team got there, and Ranger looked around for a safe place to hide the horse, and eventually found Cow Girl, and his heart sank again; GS was right, she _did_ stay behind.

"I take it you're all here to fight those goblins?" She asked him.

"Yes we are..." Ranger said with some disappointment in his voice. "Do you have a place for my horse?"

"We can look after it inside the house." Cow Girl said, and when they went inside, she heard him sigh. "Is something wrong?"

"Why are you here? On the off-chance we fail-" Cow Girl cuts him off.

"I've already had this talk with Goblin Slayer, I'm not about to start with you." She snapped.

"I meant, that even though the chance is slim that we fail, we need to discuss a plan." Ranger said which made Cow Girl ease up. "We're going to at least clear a path for you to get away if things get too ugly. If nothing else, _you_ have to make it."

"Why me?" Cow Girl asked in disbelief.

"Because you're the only non-adventurer who has an idea of how serious this is. When you get clear, find the Hero, and her 2 companions by any means necessary, and let them know what happened here." Ranger said seriously.

"But this is a last resort; I'm not even going to think about putting that plan into action unless things get too bad. Right?" Cow Girl asked which Ranger nodded at. "O.k..."

"Well...I can't say I agree with you staying here, but at least we have one more reason to win." Ranger said which made Cow Girl look at the floor. "When I heard you were still here, my heart sank like a rock. Goblins are sadistic as a trend, but the ones they butcher on the spot...they're the lucky ones. I don't dare think of..._that_, happening to you; I can't imagine what Goblin Slayer thinks. Damn these goblins for even putting that idea on the table!"

"Then kill them! Kill them and make this a place worth living in!" Cow Girl snapped with tears in her eyes; she's clearly had enough.

"We will...what I just implied will not happen to you. Not now...not ever." Ranger said quietly yet firmly. He then offered a hug, which she allowed. "You're a lovely woman by the way."

"Thank you..." Cow Girl whispered into his shoulder before hugging him back. He could feel the anxiety leaving her mind and body. "Do you hug Fighter like this?"

"I hug her in many ways, but this _is_ one of them. But...regardless, Goblin Slayer deserves your heart more than I do. I'm only holding you like this because I can see that you need it..." Ranger said, before he then lets go of her. "If any goblins get in, clap your hands as loud as you can. It will not only hurt their ears, but also signal the rest of us to come help."

"Alright..." Cow Girl said with her determination restored and Ranger turns to leave.

"By the way...me and Fighter are engaged now." Ranger said which made Cow Girl gasp and widen her eyes as Ranger left. While he was consoling and discussing things with Cow Girl, the team set up some more defenses, and Fighter helped Ranger climb the roof they were going to shoot from before turning to address the team and a few rookies. "Alright team! This is it! Do you want to give the goblins what's coming to them? Do you want to help save the frontier? Well here's your chance to do so! We will stay on this roof and shoot from here. Warrior, you join the other shooters and shoot from there. Wizard, you stay with Witch and the Dwarf. Priestess...you do your thing, but stay available, same goes for the rest of you. This is the beginning of the end for us, or the goblins, and get as ready as possible. Once the sun goes down, the gates of hell themselves will open." With that, the team and some rookies went to their posts.

Now all they had to do was wait...

* * *

**Ho boy, thank the Supreme this got out when it did; I've been feeling seriously beside myself recently, but like I said, I REALLY want this story out of the way. Anyway, not sure if you've noticed, but there's been quite a few moments between Warrior and Wizard, but thick chance of me focusing on them as much as the main pairing. As for her and Summoner...come on, he's over 5 years older than her, and they barely know each other. Abbot showing up and helping that girl, and maybe some other ones, is purely a on-the-side idea I had, but of course, it's something to be proud of. But him telling about the Hero's deal is a pet-peeve of mine; I find it pretty unfair, just like Ranger did that she's an army-of-one just because; I'm not going to say that's Mary Sue-ish, but it's still unfair, but as Abbot said, she has some ego issues, and Ranger's envy needed to be dealt with, and ho boy is envy not your friend. It's one of the Seven Deadly Sins for a reason. At best, envy drains your focus, at worst...it can lead you to become hateful, scheming, or even sadistic. Yes it is that damn serious. But enough of the lecture, please be sure to Rate, Review...you know the rest...**


	18. Chapter 11 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. I don't have anything special for this to say other than...get ready for a goblin bloodbath with some of the other OCs getting involved, with a handful of exceptions...**

**Review response: I don't even know how Lizard Priest becoming a dragon is even a thing, but..maybe he could use his own blood to help improve weapons in a similar way. Obviously he'd have to do so intelligently since he'd die otherwise or at least be crippled, but it could make a huge difference in the end, and I'm sure he'd get all the cheese and ice cream he could eat as a reward eh?**

**As for Werewolf? Well, I saw a "is it worth it?" video on Youtube that basically says being a werewolf is only worth it if you can control your inner wolf, and Werewolf can, but...he actually embraces it rather than try to keep it in a cage so, he's sort of a grey area.**

**Abbot only shared Sword Maiden's story with one of the girls, but hey, hope spreads like a virus, and as a Man of Faith, he should know that better than I do, and that is quite a feat. That goes arguably double for Ranger's envy having to be dealt with; I doubt I need to recap how crappy he felt in the 1st couple of chapters, but if that envy in his mind had taken root, it would've been a sequel to that, and...come on, in the official version of Goblin Slayer, the Hero has a tendency to be pretty full of herself, which, if it wasn't for that sword, would've screwed her over countless times. Pride is the number 1 sin for a reason: it leads to other sins, but also encourages you to try things you shouldn't, or cannot do, despite the fact you shouldn't or cannot do in the first place. Plus it makes her just downright annoying to be around...**

**As for Abbot saying they can surpass Hero? Well, the reasoning for that was already established so I'm not going into that...**

**I doubt completely erasing the goblins is possible, but it's definitely food for thought if GS and company crippled the goblins "for good" so to speak and became Platinum as a result, especially for Goblin Slayer since...well, he would've lived up to his name in full.**

**Now, I made the horde roughly ten times it's original size because Engineer, you're right: the Goblin Lord hearing about Goblin Slayer is one thing, but a whole team helping him out must be a nightmare even for him, so getting more help is a must-do, not to mention... come on, if the team only a hundred goblins at their level, it would just be a one-sided massacre. This case actually has a chance to have actual stakes, and gives me more to work with, more of a chance to put all those insane upgrades the team has to use, and of course...more dead goblins, and of course, since Ranger already asked the Sword Maiden to prepare his and Fighter's wedding...now they HAVE to win.**

**As for telling off the adventurers and especially Spearman when it comes to him and Guild Girl? Daaaamn, someone gives this guy some chill pills...**

**Last...I asked earlier if I should give Warrior some moments with Wizard or Priestess, but no one answered, so...Wizard it is, especially since...well, Priestess is only 15 for crying out loud, and I don't give a damn if she's considered an adult in-universe; Wizard being 17 now is much easier to swallow, especially since it's safe to say Warrior is about that age himself.**

**I'm also debating if Fighter's ring should get an enchantment but...as fitting as it would be, it would also be...kinda cheap.**

* * *

"Hey boss? We've got company." Wizard said, and the team then looked down the road, and saw that Storm Mage was on his way by...standing on what looked to be a flying shield. It must've been due to magnetism.

"Storm mage? What are you doing here?" Fighter asked.

"The demon hunters are still setting up their place at the fortress, so I was sent to help you out, and I brought some summon stones, just in case." Storm Mage said.

"Good, we'll need all the help we can get." Ranger said.

"Oh! Hey Priestess!" Fighter called as she tossed her the dwarven dagger. "You need that more than I do."

"What about you?" Priestess asked as she took the dagger, then Fighter popped the blades on her greaves and bracers.

"How the hell did we forget about those?" Wizard asked.

"I just remembered myself." Fighter said before retracting the blades.

"Badass...although I prefer this." Storm Mage said before he took off his metal belt, pulled a sword handle, then ran lightning through the belt which turned it into a sword and put the blade into the handle.

"Yeesh, that looks fancy." Warrior said with an eyebrow raised.

"You've no idea. When these goblins show up, they're in for more than just one shock." Storm Mage said as he looked around then put his sword-whip away. "_Alot_ more than just one shock. How many people do you have on this?"

"As many as the guild had." Ranger said as Storm Mage kept looking around.

"And get this: Guild Girl had to their desire for coin to get them to cooperate." Wizard said which made Storm Mage sigh.

"I still find it amazing how people can overlook how pointless wealth can become when the threat is big enough. What is the point of acquiring gold if no one lives to spend it?" He said.

"Still preaching that pessimism? With how much you worry, I'm amazed anyone wants to be with you." Spearman said.

"You have a pretty interesting way of viewing pessimism." Storm Mage said.

"Really? Look around. We've practically made a fortress out of this place. Those goblins might as well stab each other and save us the trouble." Spearman said.

"Unlikely, but even if they did, you would lose the coin you love so much." Storm Mage said.

"Hey, I am very concerned about the frontier." Spearman said.

"I find that hard to swallow given what it took to get you and everyone else to come here. The good Wizard here said it took the promise of coin to get all of you to get the lead out." Storm Mage said.

"So we want to get a reward for saving our home, what's the deal?" Spearman asked.

"The _deal_ is that your home makes your reward worth getting. I'm amazed I need to explain that." Storm Mage said seriously.

"You boys at it again?" Witch asked and Storm Mage calmed down when she showed up "Nice of you to join us. This battle is in our favor now."

"As if it wasn't already." Warrior said.

"That reminds me! Do you mind showing me some of your tricks? Maybe not all, but enough to give me a clue." Wizard said.

"You've got some weird timing girl, but oh well. Learn fast, or die trying." Spearman said as he went with Wizard to an open space to give her a spearmanship 101 course.

"Honestly, how do you put up with him...?" Storm Mage asked.

"He's strong, handsome, gives a hand to those around him, and he's motivated." Witch said.

"There are _countless_ men who share that description. He's also interested in that Guild Girl, even though she blows him off every chance she gets." Storm Mage said.

"People tend to desire what they cannot have. Even though what they can have wants them." Witch said.

"Or _who_ wants them. Right?" Storm Mage asked, it was becoming clear that he had a thing for Witch, and was pretty salty towards Spearman, which the team had to admit was at least somewhat justified with Witch being a total fox, and Spearman being pretty short-sighted, at least on the surface, not to mention the questionable logic in his desire for Guild Girl's heart.

"Right. Although, if I were to turn on him over something so petty, I wouldn't deserve my rank, now would I?" Witch asked before inhaling some smoke.

"That's true...here." Storm Mage said before he pulled out some sort of herb and she let him put it in her pipe then sparked it with some lightning. "Usual mix?"

"Of course..." Witch said as she watched Spearman give Wizard a feel for how to use her new spear at various ranges. "Nice to see your friend branching out."

"Yep, she hardly ever gets up close with her foes, but why take a chance." Warrior said.

"The armored robe is new." Storm Mage said while looking at his own. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she's copying me."

"Imitation is the best form of flattery." Witch said.

"Which is one of few ways envy can actually help you." Ranger said which earned him some weird looks. "Think about it, if you want what someone else has, and copy it, like in this case with Wizard, you can get more out of it in the long run."

"But if you want what you can't have, then you and, Heaven forbid, others pay for it, then you fail." Storm Mage said without missing a beat as Wizard came back.

"O.k...that should do for now." Wizard said.

"You think you'll be able to handle a champion up close?" Storm Mage asked.

"Hell no! But it's still better than nothing." Wizard said, then a thought then occurred to her. "Warrior, Priestess, come here!" The two then came to her "Give me your weapons, I'll improve them as well."

"We should have time for that, but can you do so here?" Ranger asked seriously

"I should..." Wizard said as she put her spear and Priestess' new dagger down, then moved some demon blood from Warrior's sword to the other 2 weapons, Priestess empowered them to balance the unholy energy out, and Wizard gave them back their weapons, and picked up her own.

"Well, that was quite a display." Witch said as some onlookers were seen with their jaws hitting the floor.

"Display? More like an act of the gods!" Storm Mage exclaimed.

"I dare say you might be one of the most powerful mages in the entire country dear." Witch said.

"That isn't as easy as I make it look either." Wizard said as she tested her new spear by craving the ground with the top and noting how easy it was to do, and how clean the cut was. "Your dagger should be the same Priestess."

"O.k." Priestess said as she tested her dagger and got the same result.

"Wait, my sword's not weaker is it?" Warrior asked with concern.

"No weaker then Fighter's gauntlets when I put the same force enchantment on your shield from her gauntlets." Wizard said "I did it while you two were sleeping in case you don't know."

"It figures." Fighter said.

"As if your hits weren't hard enough." Ranger whispered, which earned him a smirk from her.

"Umm, I'm sensing some sparks between you two..." Storm Mage said.

"_Some_ sparks? Man, you don't know the half of it." Warrior said.

"Can it boy." Fighter playfully snapped.

"Well, this has been fun, but I must be going now." Witch said as she walked away...and glanced back at Storm Mage who was watching her.

"So am I." Storm Mage said before going another direction.

"Jeez, first Revenant, then Spearman, now Storm Mage...that lady is all over the damn place." Wizard said

"Hey, first off, Revenant is undead so...gross, Spearman isn't interested in her because...reasons, and Storm Mage, well, he's a demon hunter so he may have a few screws loss, just like the others." Warrior noted.

"I don't know, he seemed pretty stable to me. Plus, she said there is such thing as admiring someone but not wanting them." Fighter said.

"Whatever the case may be, she should make up her mind. People might get the wrong idea." Wizard said.

"Either she doesn't care, or she knows something about how people's minds work that we don't." Ranger said.

"Well, unless anyone has something else to say, I'm going back to my post." Warrior said as he took his sword back, pulled his crossbow and rushed back to the others.

"So am I." Wizard said before leaving and Priestess stayed put.

"Sir, Goblin Slayer has a plan for me to follow." She said.

"Then by all means follow him." Ranger said as she went to see GS.

"You know, I just now remembered that you didn't look Witch over when we met her. At least, not too much." Fighter said.

"You don't sound surprised." Ranger said

"At the time, I was a bit amazed, but also...relieved." Fighter said

"Fighter...you and I were past the point of no return the moment I saw you smiling at me under the light of the twin moons at the pond. It's a sour irony that those same moons herald bloodshed now." Ranger said seriously.

"Bloodshed that's meant to help remove a stain on this world." Fighter said before the two looked at the horizon.

"Dusk is coming...we all know what that means." Ranger said as he looked over the others' faces.

"Let them come. They'll only get a nightmare..." Fighter said as she readied her bow, and Ranger readied his crossbow as the other adventurers readied the various traps, weapons, and other supplies around the farm. This was going to be tough for both sides, they could feel it in their own guts, and each others, as she held his hand, and he squeezed lightly.

* * *

"Here they come!" Wizard called out and the defenders prepared to fight, then...the goblins outdid themselves by raising up several crosses, with a girl tied to each one. They were all buck-naked and some had evidence of being beaten, or cut in various places. The sight made the defenders either horrified, angry, or both, especially when the goblins started laughing.

"Laugh while you can assholes..." Ranger growled, then Dwarf Shaman and Witch used their magic to put the goblins to sleep, then several troops rushed in to rescue the captives, then more goblins rushed out of the forest only to be peppered with arrows and bolts, especially from Fighter, Ranger, and Warrior thanks to their multi-shot bows. High Elf Archer even picked off some goblin archers and shamans, even though her bow isn't enchanted; Fighter had to ask her to train her someday. Some armored hobgoblins then reared their heads and charged at the rescue team making several panic.

"Firestorm!" Wizard yelled and several huge fireballs spewed out of her spearhead.

"Are you insane?!" H.E. Archer yelled

"Just watch." Wizard said focusing on the field.

"You're going to torch the whole forest!" Someone else yelled.

"I said watch!" Wizard snapped and several hobs caught fire, and thrashed around trying to put the flames out only for the goblins around them to catch fire, get crushed by the out-of-control hobs, or both. "I finally mastered my flames. Now they'll burn whatever I want them to, and nothing I don't want them to."

"You should've said so beforehand!" H.E. Archer snapped.

"And miss seeing that look on your face?" Wizard said smugly only for H.E. Archer to growl at her and Warrior snickered.

Then when the girls were retrieved, they signaled some hidden troops to come out of the grass, and they charged at the remaining goblins and mowed them down in a way that would make Goblin Slayer proud. Witch even reflected some arrows back at their shooters to save Lizard Priest and Spearman.

"Your range improved...last we met, you could barely cast that spell close to you." Storm Mage said while crouching next to Witch.

"We all have time and room to grow." Witch said before some goblins were heard at the side. "Oh dear..."

"I'll handle this." Storm Mage said as he clapped his hands together. "Gods of sky, fertility, and seas. Lend me your blessings and so I may crush my enemies..." With that, a handful of clouds appeared out of nowhere overhead, then he cast some lightning into one of them, it quickly grew stronger and some bolts struck the goblins, and terrified the rest, then Storm Mage unbuckled his whip, attached it to the sword handle, walked out to meet the goblins, then when several rushed him, he was struck by lightning, the goblins were blown to pieces, and the others tried to run only for Storm Mage to lash out with his sword-whip and tore several more goblins to shreds, then whipped around some more after charging his sword-whip with lightning and either shredded or paralyzed any goblin hit.

"Damn! I need what he has..." Wizard said with one eyebrow raised.

* * *

When Storm Mage's massacre was done, a whistle was heard: the scouts spotted some goblins riding wolves approaching, then some of the defenders went to raise some stake traps, then Wizard sprung some energy bolt traps that launched out of the ground and paralyzed roughly half the goblin riders, as the other half was skewered on the stakes the troops raised out of the ground, then Lizard Priest jumped in and led several troops to slaughter the goblins and their mounts.

Rookie Warrior was spotted by Ranger and he saw R.W. put his formal training to use by stabbing a goblin's body that turned out to not be dead and then Apprentice Cleric uses Holy Smite to take out a pair of goblins that tried to sneak up on him, then knelt down praying for another miracle, and R.W. looked around to watch her back, and lo and behold, he stood against three goblins, and beheaded one, blocked a spear thrust from a second with his shield, kicked it down, before getting a knife in his armored stomach, then R.W. gets mad, bashes the goblin with his shield, jams his sword into the second one's chest, removes the knife in his armor, then rapidly stabs the goblin until it was dead, then grabbed his sword and checked on the cleric who was watching him, but went back to praying when it was over.

"Those two rookies got quite a bit from our training." Ranger noted, and he and Fighter took a breather.

"You expected less?" Fighter asked softly with a small smile.

"Not really." Ranger boasted before he looked around. "Where's Priestess?" A flash of blue light got his attention and he spotted Priestess using Holy Smite on a pack of goblins, and even two hobs that managed to sneak past everyone else. "Nevermind then..."

"You getting used to putting some goblins down directly for once?" Fighter asked.

"I'm just glad I can help all of you." Priestess said

"That's not what I asked." Fighter said with an eyebrow raised.

"I got used to goblin blood on my clothes, I can get used to this... I also noticed those two putting our advice to use." Priestess said.

"Here's hoping they live to put it to use in the future." Fighter said softly as Priestess made her way to the people fighting, and cast Holy Smite herself to wipe out an entire group of goblins threatening the two rookies, and they looked at her with awe. That's how it was done...

"Head's up!" Wizard yelled as the flames from the frontlines that Wizard cast were actually recalled back to her spear, which scared her teammates a bit but then they gave her weird looks. "Hey, I warned you this time."

"Something's wrong with you..." Warrior teased which earned him a smirk from Wizard.

"You said I might as well be a goddess. Which is it?" Wizard teased.

"I have half mind to ask Ranger if we can make it a double wedding. But only half..." Warrior said jokingly, then seriously.

"And I have half a mind to tell you to focus on this siege, but only half." Wizard said completely seriously, but not harshly.

"Looks like Goblin Slayer's plan was nearly fool-proof." Fighter said as she and Ranger kept shooting goblins, not paying attention to the exchange on the ground.

"First the captives, then the side attack, now the riders." Ranger said as he shot another volley, before pausing. "Next should be the champions, but there's none in sight yet." He then jumped down to get some of the extra bolts he made by shooting a hay bale then Fighter helped him climb back up the house, and just as he was on the brink of looking for another target, a terrified scream was heard which got the defender's attention.

"Something's flying this way. Watch your heads!" Dwarf Shaman yelled as a dead body flew right between the two rookies and then another pack of hobs...and two goblin champions appeared, then a third one wearing armor appeared. Then Heavy Warrior, Female Knight, Spearman, Lizard Priest, and several others rushed at them, divided them into smaller groups and fought them to a stalemate, and Ranger was about to use his power shot enchantment, when he heard a scream, then rapid clapping...Cow Girl and the people she was with were in trouble. Fighter then jumped down, and rushed to help them, and Ranger got there just in time to see his fiance clobbering and shredding every goblin in sight with her gauntlets and armor blades like the master she was. Cow Girl continued clapping regardless, and Ranger bisected three goblins who dared jump at her with knives and Warrior shield bashed a fourth one so hard it flew across the room with several bones broken, including it's spine in several places.

"Are you alright?" Fighter asked as she helped Cow Girl up and came down from the adrenaline high.

"Yes..." Cow Girl said before sucking in a breathe. Poor girl must've been scared shitless. "Clapping works like a charm; they were barely paying attention to you."

"Wizard, have an elemental guard these people, and set up as many traps as you can." Ranger said and Wizard went to follow his orders.

"Wait, you're supposed to save this farm, not raze it." A man, Cow Girl's uncle said as Fighter checked on Ranger's horse which warmed up to her when it knew she was there, and she petted it on an unarmored spot, and it neighed at her. It _did_ know that she was Ranger's mate afterall...

"Hey, we, or at least one, can fix things as well as break them. Plus my traps and summons aren't just for blowing things up." Wizard said.

"O.k...if you say so." The man said as Wizard summoned an ice elemental and posted it in the middle of the room then booby trapped the wrecked windows to launch any goblin that tries to get through across the area with enough force to break it's bones; the elemental is a last resort. When they got back out, the troops outside were dealing with a pack of goblins, and Priestess used Empower on them, and they all moved faster, reacted faster, hit harder, and even took knife hits to the neck and were only scratched instead of dead. Then Warrior got involved and punched the inside of his shield and sent the last few flying, and some troops laughed at them, and since Wizard was there to use Life Sight to see if any were left, they could afford a good laugh...until Priestess took off.

"Hey, Priestess where are you going?!" Ranger called out.

"To help Goblin Slayer! He's going after the goblin lord." Priestess said urgently.

"No way, the goblin lord wouldn't retreat unless they were losing, and we've deal with what, about a hundred so far? There has to be more than that." Ranger said as a hob stumbled out from behind a house with a large scythe sticking out of it's back...

"There are. Hundreds more..." Revenant said as he removed the scythe and stood there on the hob's back.

* * *

**Dun dun duuuuh, look who's here? Anyway, Ranger training those rookies made them actually kick some ass unlike the original show where they barely do a damn thing, and Priestess got to use her Holy Smite power. Also...it just occurred to me that Fighter's arm and leg blades basically make her a female version of Shredder from TMNT, only...she's a heroine. Plus the clapping-for-goblins strategy makes a triumphant return thanks to Cow Girl, Storm Mage shows more of what his deal is, and what he can do, and I've got tons more to put down later, so make sure you do the usual routine and stay tuned for the next part of the goblin massacre.**


	19. Chapter 11 part III

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****.Who's ready for more Goblin Slayer-style carnage? I know I am...**

**Review Response: Storm Mage made it pretty clear he feels the same way about Spearman's antics, as well as how distasteful the guild's response to the goblin army is, and that's not counting the fact that he apparently wants some ass from Witch, and honestly...who can blame him?**

**I could not resist including the 2 rookies to save my life, and giving Priestess a larger role was also idiot-obvious, especially with her new firepower. Fighter mimicking Shredder is completely accidental, but hey, that just means I have more reason to be proud of this story. The bit with Cow Girls' uncle being worried about the farm being funny is also unintentional, but hey, laughs are laughs. Having Cow Girl clap to hurt the goblins' ears was a shoo-in; it's been proven that not only attracts the goblins, but also pissed them off, and in battle, being angry is a double-edged sword: you get more hostile, but your defense suffers, and look what happened.**

**To be fair: Warrior was hitting on Wizard while things were calm, so...eh.**

**I should've been more clear, but Ranger implied that the Goblin Lord isn't retreating since the goblin army was still strong; that's not very tactically sound to leave your army hanging, even by goblin standards. So Goblin Slayer running to get him, is pointless. But now Revenant is back, and...boy does he have some surprises for all of you...**

**Witch being jealous of Wizard and Warrior is something I didn't even think about...although, I think she'd be better off getting with him; at least Storm Mage doesn't have his head up his ass, and before anyone goes "you just want her with Storm Mage because he's your OC and you think Witch is hot." yes those 2 things are true, but like I said: Storm Mage doesn't have his head up his ass, and the 3 demon hunters are written to be messed up in the head, Storm Mage is not, and as a writer, it is critical I look at my material both objectively and subjectively. If a character has a screw loose, or is a freaking genius, I NEED to treat them as such, and that includes my opinion of how they live and love.**

**Huh...reinforcing Ranger and Fighter's already diamond-hard connection by having them each wear rings that bind their lives in some way...kinda overkill, but it's food for thought...**

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Priestess said with surprising firmness.

"The old man actually summoned me to the monastery and told me the Supreme God wants me here to help all of you. I may take orders from the Death God, but he takes orders from the Supreme, so...here I am to collect any souls in the area, and if the goblins want to stop me, then their lives are forfeit as well." Revenant said and Wizard sighed.

"This just gets better and better...and I'm almost out of potions. Wait..." She said before putting a gateway scroll on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Fighter asked.

"Getting more potions. I'll be back in less than a minute." Wizard said urgently as she vanished.

"Nice of her to leave in a hurry..." Revenant said casually as he removed the soul from the dead hob.

"There is no way she would abandon us. She put more effort into helping us get stronger than all of us combined." Ranger said seriously.

"Nice of you to join us." Witch said

"Hello again." Revenant said simply.

"Wait, you know this guy?" Fighter asked.

"Yes, almost as well as I know Storm Mage. He even helped me out against some outlaws when I was Emerald Ranked." Witch said.

"I was there for the souls, like I am now." Revenant said seriously.

"Yes, yes, we know the drill." Ranger said with annoyance, then Wizard reappeared with bags full of potions. " I knew she'd be back."

"So I see." Revenant said before pouring some light purple energy into the dead hob. "My fellow dead, raise up." The hob slowly got up and the team and other troops put up their guard, except for Witch. "Relax, I control it." Then some more goblins appeared and Revenant pointed at them and the undead hob charged them and smashed up their numbers, until a pair of hobs beat it into submission. "Well...at least it did _some_ good." Revenant then walked towards the goblin wave with his scythe turning into two smaller ones.

"O.k...I know he can't feel pain, let alone die, but that is a huge fucking number of goblins out there. How is he not going to get trapped or something?" Warrior asked.

"Believe it or not, reanimating corpses and removing souls are just two of his tricks." Witch said cryptically.

"What else can he do?" Ranger asked.

"Watch..." Witch said while leaning against a wall, as Revenant eventually charged into the goblin army with speed that must be twice that of a horse, and rips right through the middle of the wave with a burst of green energy, which sends any caught in the blast flying and when Revenant reaches the other side, he tears into every goblin around him with the scythes, and it's _very_ clear he knows how to use them. He swung his scythes from side-to-side, up and down, diagonally, any mixture of the three, which includes spinning and changing his moves, all while weaving through the crowd so quickly and powerfully that the goblins can barely keep track of him let alone figure out what to do. He even throws his scythes around every once in a while, and spins around ripping out souls while the scythes cut up the goblins as if a ghost was swinging them. They eventually turn into his two-handed scythe, return to Revenant and he finishes off the little monsters with a final energized swing that reduces the goblins to a paste. He wraps up his one-sided massacre by calling their souls to him and absorbs them into his abdomen.

"That...that's at least...how does _one_ person wipe out dozens of goblins in less than a minute?" Ranger asked while breathing hard.

"Like I told Spearman, if Revenant was an adventurer, he would be Platinum Ranked." Witch said without any surprise at Revenant's display of power.

"Damn...the Abbot is just Gold Ranked and he wiped out scores of demons without too much trouble. Imagine what the Revenant could do." Warrior said.

"And we're on our way to that level ourselves." Fighter said firmly, and Revenant walked back to the farm then when he turned around, he was whacked by a goblin champion's club and was sent flying back to the farm, and despite the devastating force of the hit, and how far he was sent flying, he got up a few seconds after hitting the ground like nothing happened, brushed himself off, charged himself up with green energy, then fired a bolt of what looked like lightning, and the champion was instantly reduced to a pile of rotting flesh with the bones peeking out of the mass, and the goblins were so appalled they started throwing up.

"Poor bastard." Warrior said half-jokingly.

"Thank the gods _they're_ smelling it and not us." Wizard said.

"Good point; they're probably used to nasty things going on, but good luck finding something that stinks worse than dead stuff." Warrior said.

"By the way, if you encounter any lone goblins, capture it and save it for later." Revenant said as he kept looking at the field.

"Why?" Fighter asked.

"If I'm going to summon the Death God to help us, I need either a sacrifice, or spend time forming his seal." Revenant said.

"You want to _what_ now?" Wizard asked which the others quickly agree with.

"I have a bounty of souls for him to collect, and he makes me more powerful each time I give them to him. He might even intervene directly in this little war." Revenant said.

"Still, you can't really expect the Death God to help living people." One of the troops said.

"I serve him as faithfully as a dog would; he owes me more than all of you owe your parents." Revenant said as casually as ever.

"But...why are you helping us? You said the living don't concern you." Ranger said.

"I am here because I was ordered to come here, and the Death God was ordered by the Supreme God directly, to send me here." Revenant said still looking. "Now, unless you have anymore pointless questions, keep an eye out for a possible sacrifice." The team then looked to Ranger.

"Oh what the hell, do what he said." Ranger said without much enthusiasm but still seriously, before looking to the other side, and his heart sank: another round of goblins with girls tied to crosses was spotted. "Revenant?"

"I know. Kill the ones you can, and I will reanimate the dead to fight for you." Revenant said as the three shooters took pot shots at the goblins, until they ran out of shots, then Revenant cast a wave of purple energy at the goblins, then the dozen or so stood up then starting cutting, stabbing, or even biting into their living brothers, and their sadistic laughter turned into screams of pain and terror, and the dead goblins actually turned into more undead goblins.

"I never thought I'd say this, but it's good to have the powers of death on our side." Wizard said awkwardly.

"Alright, now let's get in there and save those girls!" Ranger yelled as he, Fighter, Warrior, and a few others rushed out to get the captives, and the undead goblins completely ignored them and stood still. "Ignore the reanimated goblins, just grab the girls." The team picked up the girls, one each, but there were still more to grab, so they ran back a second time, after Wizard gave them each a stamina potion for their run, then more goblins appeared, and the reanimated goblins held them back, but they were eventually overwhelmed, and the team pulled their weapons, and charged the goblins yelling all the while; Priestess even threw in an Empower miracle for good measure, and the team each massacred the goblins by the dozens, and the Bronze Ranks kept the rest of the goblins busy while the other troops grabbed the girls and took them back to base.

* * *

Warrior actually pulled his hammer, charged it with lightning and shocked an entire group, with a single bolt bouncing back and forth between them, and he bashed an armored one and the shockwave blew it and several others to bits, he then noticed another group coming from the side and Storm Mage vaporized them for him, then signaled him to follow, then when Warrior got close enough, Storm Mage charged his hammer with lightning and pointed at a group of armored hobs in the distance.

"The other Silver Ranks are still busy with the champions, but they won't last long if we don't help them out." Storm Mage said

"What do you need me for?" Warrior said

"Throw your hammer at the hobs." Storm Mage said which got him a weird look from Warrior "Trust me." Warrior then threw his hammer and it hit the ground by the hobs...after it reduced every smaller goblin to dust as it flew there with more distance than Warrior thought was possible. The hobs themselves were either dead from the blast, or knocked down. Then Storm Mage called down lightning from the clouds overhead, and another shockwave was dealt out.

"Wait, my hammer can't take that kind of abuse!" Warrior exclaimed.

"Call it back..." Storm Mage said knowingly, then Warrior extended his hand and the hammer returned to his hand...without a scratch on it. "You were saying?"

"That is one effective lightning enchantment." Warrior said in awe.

"Actually...I improved it." Storm Mage said

"What? How?" Warrior asked.

"My namesake." Storm Mage said with an eyebrow raised. "Now, let's finish off the rest." He then charged at the rest of the goblins, sparked his boots, and jumped into the air, hovered around with magnetism, and he took pot shots at the goblins he spotted, and even stopped a barrage of arrows from a platoon of goblin archers, which not only saved him, but also the farm. Talk about good timing! Granted he took some arrows himself from some stray archers, but his armor held fast.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ranger downed goblin after goblin after goblin by stabbing or slashing them in either the head, chest, or gut, sometimes while standing still, but mostly while moving, jumping, spinning, or any mix of the three. Sometimes a goblin pounced at him, only to be impaled on one or both his swords, then flung away or into another goblin. He showed once again how dual swords are used like usual: on top of normal sword tricks, he transferred from one strike to another in a single motion, and even moved one sword to an odd angle and stabbed the goblins from a blind spot when they believed he left himself open. Sometimes he did leave himself open to an attack to bait them, and then he cut them apart as soon as they got in range. On occasion he simply chopped off a limb, and left the goblin there to bleed to death or be finished off by Fighter...

...who was right there shredding goblins with her arm/leg blades, or just clobbering them the old fashioned way. They weren't making it a contest, but she actually eviscerated more goblins then Ranger did, even though he chopped more to pieces. She also noticed that Ranger threw his swords at a goblin or two every now and then and took a page out of her book and used her moves, either by grabbing them and slamming them into the ground, each other, both, or just plain throwing them away like the trash they were. Fighter eventually got stick of the blades, retracted them, and treated them like she did those demons: some pounced at her only to get their necks broken, a limb snapped, or even ripped in half and their halves were thrown at other goblins. Of course she also simply struck them while moving like Ranger did, and the goblins either had their chests caved in to the point where their ribs were sticking out through their skin, their guts were dislocated, or their heads were smashed to a pancake...if they were lucky.

"At least the Revenant will be happy." Ranger joked when the massacre was finally over.

"You're enjoying yourself alittle too much." Fighter said; despite how gruesome their act was, and discounting the fact that goblins were despicable to the point where any misfortune that befell them was met with zero sympathy, the two fiances managed to keep it casual.

"At least I'm not covering my face with a helmet 24/7." Ranger said as he pulled his sword from a dying goblin's gut, then grabbed it as it tried to pounce at him, then he lifted it off the ground, and when it tried stabbing his arm with a piece of a broken spear...his armor held firm, and he grabbed it's arm with his free hand, broke it's arm and it's scream fell on deaf ears as Ranger looked over the broken spear. "Wow, you don't know much about dragon skin do you? Oh well, would you be so kind as to take this _back_?!" He then jammed the broken spear into it's eye then casually threw it away.

"You keep this up, you'll wind up wearing a helmet 24/7." Fighter joked.

"What can I say? I love my job: no matter what you do to these little bastards, you never feel guilty." Ranger said. "I don't even feel winded. You?"

"Not really." Fighter said then the earth-shaking shockwaves from Storm Mage and Warrior got their attention. "What the hell?"

"Could that be from-" Another bolt cut Ranger off. "Son of a bitch! Storm Mage is up there!" The two watched Storm Mage stop the arrow barrage with his lightning and they soaked in the sight. Lightning was a sight to behold when it was quick and alone. Seeing it in a long, sustained burst was awe-inspiring.

"Wait! Where's Goblin Slayer? He's missing all the fun." Fighter said.

"Knowing him, he _is_ the fun. Anyway, let's get the last two girls and-" Ranger shut up when he noticed a goblin going for one of the captives drooling as it looked her over. "Capture that one!" Fighter then charged at the goblin, it heard her, screamed in fear, then she grabbed it, pinned it down, jammed her fingers into it's eyes, broke all four of it's limbs, and broke several of it's teeth with a single punch. "Alright, now let's take these girls back." The two then took the girls, and their new prisoner back to base. On the way back, Revenant showed up, hit the freshly-killed goblins with a wave of lavender energy and extracted their souls; clearly his priority was the souls, not the captured goblin.

* * *

"Welcome back." Wizard said as the two came back with Revenant behind them. "Revenant finished off the goblins that were stunned by the horrid smell while you were gone-" She shut up when she spotted the goblin Fighter was holding by the neck. "Damn, and I thought goblins couldn't get any uglier."

"We caught it red-handed getting ready to rape one of the girls." Fighter snarled.

"Oh...well, at least it'll do some good now." Wizard said as Revenant came up and took the barely-alive goblin from Fighter like it was a bag full of money.

"Thank you." Revenant said almost pleasantly.

"Just get that _damned_ thing out of my sight." Fighter snapped as she and Ranger took the two girls they held to the others still fuming; Ranger couldn't say he blamed her. When they reached the others, they saw Priestess healing their wounds, and when she spotted the two engaged adventurers come in with two more, she sighed.

"When does it end...?" Priestess said sadly.

"Before dawn. I hope the goblin lord brought every single goblin in existence to this place so we can put this mess behind us for good." Ranger said firmly.

"When this is over, we should pay a visit to the old man and ask him if there are other goblin lords or armies out there." Fighter said barely keeping her temper in check. "I don't care if we have to did this 10 times over, this needs to end!"

"As true as that is, we can't just go into this headlessly." Ranger said, and Fighter started thinking and calming down.

"Right...I just forgot how low the goblins can sink." Fighter whispered, and Ranger went to her, put his hand on her shoulder, she looked him in the face to see his care for her, hugged him and felt him hug her back without a hint of tension between them.

"Priestess? Keep healing these women, we'll keep an eye out for Goblin Slayer." Ranger said while continuing to hold his fiance.

"O.k..." Priestess said softly. Seeing the love between her leader and companion inspired her to help the women even more, and then the two went out after their morale was restored...only for their hearts to sink like rocks.

* * *

"Sweet Supreme in Heaven...!" Ranger whispered in terror. No less than _four_ goblin champions, each one carrying bows and arrows to match their colossal size. A volley of those arrows could flatten the entire farm, and just one could kill anyone in the farm in one hit.

"Firestorm!" Wizard yelled and a barrage of fireballs launched out of her spear non-stop at the champions, and one of them cast a Reflect spell, but all it did was weaken the spell or make some fireballs bounce off the shield. At least the goblin champions couldn't shoot with the fireballs coming their way, but with the Silver Ranks still occupied with the champions on the other side, they only had Revenant there to deal with them. As strong as he is, they doubted he could defeat four champions in a row...but they were proven wrong as Revenant summoned a grey horse from a green fire and charged right at the champions, jumped off the horse as the horse blew itself up, and Revenant started slicing up their legs with his scythe, dodging their stomps, punches and weapons swings. But one of the champions backed up, and shot as Revenant who took a shot through the chest, but he cut the arrow with a smaller scythe, removed himself from the arrow, the hole in his chest closed in less than a second, then he flipped and rolled across the ground several times to avoid more shots.

"Why doesn't he just one-shot them like he did to the first one?" Warrior asked.

"Maybe he wants to reanimate them." Ranger said which floored the whole team. Having four reanimated champions would be _incredibly_ useful.

"More hobs are coming!" One of the troops yelled, then Ranger and Fighter grabbed their bow and crossbow from Dwarf Shaman who looked after the weapons for them, then they went to try their power shot enchantments, and shot down a few hobs with one bolt/arrow each, then Storm Mage showed up, and dancing around the hobs while they were being shot at, and he lashed their throats, shredded the back of their knees, paralyzed the ones that tried to punch or stomp on him, and even tied his sword-whip around one of their necks, jumped over it, then ripped off it's head.

"Way to leave them open." Ranger said to himself as he shot one of the paralyzed ones in the head, then another bolt hit the one he was aiming at then he looked to see Warrior waving at him.

"You're not getting all the kills here boss!" Warrior yelled before shooting another hob.

"You're not trying to see who's the top dog are you?" Fighter joked after getting another headshot, then shooting one between the legs which made Warrior yell and Ranger cringe.

"Not cool Fighter!" Warrior yelled which made Fighter laugh awkwardly.

"Sorry...I was aiming for another one's head." She said.

"Well aim for the head on their _shoulders_ next time." Ranger deadpanned before shooting another one in the chest. "Don't say anything; that was an intended heart shot."

"Whatever." Fighter said before checking on the Revenant who was still struggling with the champions, then a big surprise...a huge rock came out and hit one of the champions in the back, knocking it down, and giving Revenant a chance to climb up it's back, slice it's neck, reanimate it, then keep distracting the champions while the undead one got up and tried to bite one of the other three, then Revenant sliced it's leg which let the undead one bite a chunk out of it's throat, then Revenant went for the third one, threw his scythe to hit it between the legs making it roar in pain, called his scythe back to him, then a second rock hit he last one right in the face, and Revenant had the undead champion bash it on the head with the stone until it was dead, then break the third champion's neck and Revenant plunged his scythe blade into the second one's brain stem then reanimated that one was well.

"O.k...that takes care of those champions, but where did those rocks come from?" Warrior asked.

"Ranger!" A rhea yelled as he approached. "Ranger, Goblin Slayer captured a goblin catapult. He's going to use it on the champions."

"You mean he _has_ used it on the champions." Ranger said as he pointed at them. "Revenant killed them a few seconds ago then turned them to our side."

"He can do that?" The rhea asked.

"Apparently." High Elf Archer said.

"And where have _you_ been?" Fighter asked.

"_Someone_ has to fetch arrows and bolts for you guys." H.E. Archer said as she forked over a bag of bolts to Ranger and Warrior, and arrows for Fighter. "Anyway, nice of Orcbolg to even the odds with a stone shower."

"Quite right Long Ears. Wouldn't mind looking at it myself should the chance present itself." Dwarf Shaman said.

"Typical. If it's made of metal or throws rocks, dwarves can't help but get involved." H.E. Archer said.

"Now to be fair, that catapult led to the deaths of four champions in a row, and now they're on our side." Warrior said and Storm Mage took a hit from a hob's mace and was sent flying into one of the houses. "Oh shit!" The three then went to check on Storm Mage, who was still alive, but was struggling to move.

"Don't move!" Fighter yelled and she checked on him. "Where were you hit?"

"My entire back." Storm Mage groaned then Wizard came in, and took out a life potion.

"Here, drink it." Wizard said as Storm Mage practically downed the thing with no regard for the taste, as Fighter removed his armor as he groaned from the movements, and she checked to see what his skeleton was like...and he growled when she pushed his ribs a bit.

"He has several broken ribs. He's not fighting anytime soon." She said.

"Go get Priestess." Ranger ordered, and the rhea rushed to get Priestess. "I guess you're going to have to take Storm Mage's place Warrior."

"Here's hoping I _can_." Warrior said seriously.

"You did so far...just keep up...what you've been doing..." Storm Mage said with a strained voice.

"Well, if nothing else, I want to kill that hob who did this to you." Warrior said as he put his hammer away and pulled his hand-and-a-half sword.

"He wore a black breastplate and had three ponytails. If you can, bring me his head." Storm Mage said.

"Will do." Warrior said as he walked out, with Ranger following.

"I'm going to see if they need me." Fighter said and she gently placed Storm Mage flat on the floor. "Priestess should be here soon."

"Just go _kill_ those sons of bitches!" Storm Mage said, which earned him a weird look. "Sorry...that was the pain talking; may their mothers rest in peace..."

"Right." Fighter said as both Priestess and Cow Girl showed up. "Why aren't you with that elemental?"

"I had to see what that crash was. Is he alright?" Cow Girl asked.

"Alright? I have several busted ribs woman!" Storm Mage yelled.

"Get a hold of yourself. She's just concerned." Fighter snapped as Priestess approached.

"Right..." Storm Mage whispered as Priestess used Heal on him and he began breathing easier.

* * *

Meanwhile, Warrior looked for the hob with the three ponytails, an spotted him approaching the house Storm Mage was in wanting to finish the job...

"Hey! Asshole!" Warrior yelled and the hob turned to him, and Ranger came out from behind Warrior, and the two charged the hob, split up, and each slashed one leg off, then Warrior lopped off the Hob's head, turned to see the other hobs charging them, then he positioned the head to "watch" his friends die, then Ranger and Warrior rushed into the small crowd and deflected several sword blows from the hobs, and sliced into the bare limbs of those that tried to punch, grab, or stomp on them. Good thing their swords were supped up by Wizard, some hobs actually had burn marks on their wounds from the demon blood and holy energy imbued into their swords.

Warrior and Ranger worked together to kill the hobs no worse than Ranger and Fighter did. From Warrior climbing a hob's back after it was set up by Ranger and killing another hob, then lobotomizing the hob Warrior climbed, to Warrior distracting one so Ranger could kill it, even tricking the hobs into attacking each other. One time, Ranger grabbed and sword off one of the dead hob and impaled another in the gut, popping it's arota, the largest blood vessel in the body. In the chaos, the two didn't hear or see Fighter get involved as the two were getting winded, and Fighter didn't disappoint: she stopped a hob's club with her hands, ripped it away, bashed the hob's brains in, bashed another one before throwing it at a third, who grabbed it in mid-air and tried to smash her, but she sidestepped, ran up the club and kneed it in the face before flipping over it and breaking it's neck, then she slid between a fourth one's legs, tripped it by pulling it's legs out, and beheaded it with a sword from one of the dead hobs.

"I love her so much..." Ranger whispered as he shook his head.

"Only you would get turned on by a bloodbath." Warrior teased.

"A bloodbath caused by a woman like _her_? Absolutely." Ranger said seriously before Fighter walked up to them.

"What would you two do without me?" Fighter boasted.

"Have alot less fun for one thing." Ranger said

"Yeah, unless your idea of fun is being crushed by a ton of hobs. Seriously you two fought a crowd of hobs, who had armor and weapons, by yourselves, while exhausted?" Fighter asked.

"Hey, you only killed four, we killed at least five, maybe six or seven." Warrior said.

"I love the two of you...but you're both idiots." Fighter said with playful sternness.

"But we're _your_ idiots." Warrior said playfully as he held his arms to the sides.

"That you are..." Fighter said with a smile before pointing at Warrior. "You, get out of here."

"Alright...damn rabbits." Warrior said as he walked off.

"I heard that!" Fighter said as Warrior back-waved at her.

"You really think we're idiots?" Ranger said with mock hurt in his voice.

"Of course not; he's the closest thing to a brother I have...and that brain of your's is part of why I love you." Fighter said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'd kiss you but you've got blood all over your face, more importantly your lips."

"Good point; it's no wonder that elf hates having blood all over her." Ranger said "Can't imagine tasting it during a moment like this."

"Let's just stop right there." Fighter said seriously before an arrow bounced off Ranger's back armor. "Run!" The two rushed back to the farm as a volley of arrows came down and the two held each other by a wall until the arrows stopped, then peeked to see what happened, and lo and behold, Goblin Slayer was there wastelanding every goblin archer in sight.

"First he saves us with a catapult, now he takes out some archers for us." Ranger said as he looked Fighter in the face still pissed that he can't kiss her until he washes off. "He is invited to our wedding no questions asked."

"Here's hoping that farm girl can convince him to do so." Fighter said before staring at Ranger. "O.k...let's get that blood off your face; I _really_ want to kiss you." With that, the two made way to a nearby faucet, after checking on the other side, and it was going pretty well. The Silver Ranks and even the rookies were surrounded by dead goblins, hobs, and wolves galore. They even witness one champion cut in half by Heavy Warrior, and Spearman run up a chain used by the second champion and stab it in the face. The third was tag-teamed by Spearman and Heavy Warrior, only for Female Knight to stab it in a blind spot, and sever it's head. Then the two went to wash Ranger's face with a towel and some water, and Fighter barely let him finish before pressing her lips to his as he dropped the towel, and shifting their lips a few times to drive home the point.

"Heaven really is sweetest after tasting Hell first." Ranger said softly and Fighter smiled in response.

"How funny is it that we get to have a moment like this during a siege?" She asked.

"Hey, we've killed a hundred goblins give or take a dozen or two, and the others have this nailed. We've _earned_ this. But I'm not bedding you." Ranger said seriously.

"Yeah, no kidding." Fighter said. There's no way they could take that subject seriously at a time like this; joking about it was welcome, but that's as far as it's going. "Let's just check on Storm Mage." With that, the two went to see where he was, and Priestess and Cow Girl helped Storm Mage into the house with the traps and elemental guard.

"How is he?" Ranger asked.

"He's in no shape to fight, but he could still keep watch here. At least, he's in no shape to fight _yet_." Wizard said.

"The point is I'm not dying and I still have two feet to stand on." Storm Mage said as the two ladies hauling him sat him in a chair before Goblin Slayer showed up.

"We still have at least 300 goblins left; I've counted no less than 579 dead goblins, and did some scouting myself to see how many were left." GS said.

"Yeesh, the guild's going to go bankrupt with all the gold they'll have to shell out." Wizard said.

"I also destroyed the catapults they were going to use, and with those four champions, they'll be routed before they know it." GS said.

"Not to mention that Revenant who happens to be equal to a freaking Platinum Rank." Wizard said.

"Platinum...interesting." GS said.

"He even has a captive goblin so he can summon the Death God to give all those souls he's been collecting." Warrior said and GS turned to leave. "Wait, you're not going to kill it are you?"

"Of course I am." GS said.

"You _do_ know that Revenant needs it to summon the Death God and get more power right? Maybe even have the Death God help us kill the goblins." Ranger said which made GS stop and think.

"A god being summoned to kill goblins...that _would_ be a sight to behold." GS said.

"Holy shit...we actually persuaded Goblin Slayer to spare a goblin." Warrior said.

"But that's not good news for the goblins, especially since...well, did you see the state my fiance left that goblin in?" Ranger asked.

"Serves it right for trying to violate a girl that was tied up and bleeding." Fighter said simply.

"How much more do you think your people can take?" Cow Girl's uncle asked.

"We're nearly exhausted, Storm Mage is injured, some are dead, the Silver Ranks are holding strong, but they can't be everywhere at once. we're running out of stamina potions, and...at this point, summoning the Death God may ironically save our lives." Ranger said.

"Can't say I'm looking forward to meeting the guy who will one day take my soul." Wizard said.

"At least he'll take it to Heaven." Warrior said.

"Still...it's the _Death God;_ the name speaks for itself." Wizard said.

"Anyway...this has been one hell of a night, and it's only going to get more serious from here on out." Ranger said as he leaned against the table he was sitting at.

* * *

**See? Even when off-screen Goblin Slayer makes an impact, and yes you read that correctly: 579 dead goblins and counting, that's gotta be a new record. Also...just to recap: Revenant can raise the dead to fight for him, even champions, can't die or feel pain, he can remove souls either one by one, or en masse, summon and control scythes, empower himself to move at ridiculous speeds, hits like a truck, summon a pale horse that can explode and move at speeds similar to himself, and can even summon the Death God himself, aka the Grim Reaper...no wonder he's Platinum Rank level eh? Anyway...stay tuned for the rest of the carnage, because it's not even close to done.**


	20. Chapter 12 Part I

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. The final chapter is here, but don't worry, there is still plenty left to do, so let's get it on.**

**Review response: FYI, Revenant being Platinum level is something I intentionally built up at least since Witch mentioned that, and I've been looking into ways to make "OP" since before I thought of this story, plus there's the fact that his power comes directly from the Death God, who is...well, a god. Hence the term "godlike power", and he's in charge of death itself. ******That makes Revenant automatically Platinum Rank in terms of raw power. ** Also, frankly the only reason I think Witch shouldn't be with Revenant is because...well, he's undead and...who the hell wants to be romantically involved with a dead guy?**

**The real beauty about morally-grey characters like Revenant is that you can make them stupidly overpowered...and get away with it.  
**

**As for Storm Mage? Well, he's a master of lightning magic and uses melee skills, so him being a beast on the battlefield should surprise no one. Plus, he was healed by Priestess...after being checked on by Fighter, which I'd consider him lucky for if her checking his ribs didn't hurt like a bitch. Anyway, he might be down, but not out.**

**As for Goblin Slayer? It's again accidental, but him going after the goblins rather than letting them come to him, especially with an army holding the farm seems more in-character, especially since he helped take out/"recruit" 4 champions, and took out dozens of archers, which probably saved our 2 lovebirds. So even when he's not there...he's there, and since he has a habit of counting his kills because...reasons, buying the drinks should be no problem. Speaking of money, I never thought about how the team would count their kills, or if they even care.**

**As for Ranger and Fighter's moment? As Metal Gear Solid loves to mention, love can bloom even on a battlefield, and those 2 cannot get enough of each other. You might as well say their relationship is immortal. Hope I get a relationship like that...minus the goblins.**

**I didn't even think about how far summoning the Death God can go. Thanks for opening my eyes...although technically Revenant can summon the Death God whenever he pleases; he _does_ get stronger whenever he gives them to the Death God; Revenant even mentions summoning the Death God when he's introduced back in chapter 2 part 1.  
**

**Also...I'm alittle amazed no one mentioned how serious Ranger and Goblin Slayer's duel was, or Ranger CATCHING FIRE a several chapters ago, or maybe Warrior throwing his pummel as a joke when he got his new sword in chapter 2 part 1, I think it is. What's up with that? Not to mention that the very first part of this story is the most popular...still.  
**

* * *

"Priestess? May I ask how the girls are?" Fighter asked.

"I did what I could, but I'm out of holy water, and I used most of my miracles." Priestess said somberly.

"Their souls still pulse. Any of them could be used for the sacrifice as well." Revenant said with his usual apathy.

"Absolutely not." Fighter said as she stood before Revenant, clearly not afraid of him, despite his display of godlike power which made Ranger's eyes widen and pray to every deity he can think of that she doesn't try anything rash while they were engaged.

"Why? They're dying, and the chance of your Priestess getting more miracles is slim at best, especially since she is needed for the living and well. That goblin is close to death as well. Should it's life go out-" Fighter cuts Revenant off.

"Then we'll capture another." She said.

"You caught the first one off-guard; good luck doing that again." Revenant said.

"Those girls deserve a chance to get their lives back. But I don't know why I expect a glorified exterminator to understand..." Fighter said.

"One not destined to exterminate any of _you_ one should hope." Revenant said casually which put everyone in the area on-edge, even the non-adventurers.

"We have the Supreme God's favor. You kill us, you're not going to be rewarded." Ranger said, and his statement made the Revenant glance at him, and stay silent for several seconds.

"I simply expressed my hopes that none of you will have to die by my hand. Although...I am curious to see how that would go." Revenant said, and with that, he turned to look around. "From the look of things, we've wiped out three quarters of the goblin horde, but the last one has some curiously powerful souls, which includes their high priest."

"They have a high priest?" Wizard asked.

"Yes, the goblins do have at least one deity: the so-called god of wisdom. There have even been cases where a goblin paladin branded someone with his mark." Revenant said.

"Paladin? First champions, now paladins?" Wizard asked.

"Yes, they're quite rare, but they should-" Revenant stops talking the moment the four undead champions are heard fighting, and they each get sliced apart one-by-one by an armored champion with a glowing blue sword, and a set of magic armor. "There's one of their number now."

"Oh great. That Death God summoning better be worth it." Wizard said.

"Speaking of whom: how much does he owe you?" Ranger asked.

"I have harvested thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands; at least two centuries worth of souls, so he didn't have to." Revenant said seriously.

"Then can you ask him to curse the goblins?" Ranger asked which made everyone, especially Goblin Slayer curious right away.

"I suppose so." Revenant said casually.

"Then summon him now." Ranger said.

"Not yet." Revenant said.

"Why not?" Fighter asked.

"Because, there are still a bounty of souls for me to harvest, and that paladin should make for a pretty interesting fight." Revenant said.

"Interesting? You can't die or feel pain, or anything for that matter. How can this be interesting for you?" Fighter asked. She of all people should know that being in a fight is a great way to have a good time if adrenaline highs are your thing. Heaven knows she had her fair share with Ranger...

"First off, I have no intention of fighting him; I meant the fight should be interesting to watch. But to answer your question, it's simple: I can take my soul back." Revenant said.

"What? I thought your condition was permanent." Wizard said.

"I can actually take my soul back, if only for a while; as long as I have it, I can actually die." Revenant said.

"I take it you rarely do that?" Wizard asked.

"Yes." Revenant said, and when he finished, the last undead champion fell, then he looked at where the girls captured by the goblins were being held. "One of the girls is dead."

"No..." Ranger whispered as Revenant made his way there. "Hey! You're not going to sacrifice the rest are you?"

"I might as well since their souls are pulsing." Revenant said casually and Ranger drew his left sword, with his left hand in a reverse grip, charged at Revenant at full speed, and impaled him right through the heart, though his back...only for Revenant to look at Ranger like he was a moron. "That girl said I cannot die, or feel pain. Your efforts are wasted."

"Unlike you, I care for the lives of others. Those Silver Ranks, the rookies, the others, those girls...my team. Their lives matter to me, you undead _bastard_!" Ranger growled and Revenant sighed before looking forward ignoring the sword poking out of his chest.

"Funny...amortality tends to keep one's heart at bay, and while you stand here berating me, that paladin behind us is sitting there laughing at you." He said, and Ranger turned to see the paladin who has the absolute nerve to sit on one of the dead champions like it was a throne. "I'm amazed goblins are living beings; only us undead have hearts filled with dust."

"All the more reason to put the goblins down." Ranger said, his patience with Revenant's apathy running dry. "Like that one my fiance captured, for _you_."

"So...you intend to bind your lives together? If something happens to her-" Ranger cuts Revenant off.

"It won't!" He snarled, and Revenant actually sighed.

"You fool...there are many ways to die outside of battle-" Ranger cuts him off again.

"I know..." He said with a sob-choked voice.

"You know that life can be worse than death yet you delay me. Should something happen to her outside of your power, you will wish you became like me." Revenant said.

"That goes both ways." Fighter said finally as Ranger's trembling muscles and hard breathing became more noticeable. The dark tone of this conversation was taking it's toll; only his experience with dark matters kept him from breaking down at the thought of Fighter being broken in some way, either because of his vision in Hell...or otherwise.

"If it pleases you that much, continue to believe that." Revenant said as he tried to push the sword back out through his back by grabbing the point and cutting his hand open as he tries to push, then watches his hand heal. "Will you be so kind as to remove this cursed blade from my body."

"Not that you deserve it, but fine..." Ranger said as he pulled his sword out, noting the congealed blood, which proved Revenant was in fact undead.

"If I could, I would die of laughter right now...but I have a soul to collect." Revenant said as he walked off.

"Keep your hands off the others!" Fighter exclaimed which made Revenant stay put for a moment.

"I suppose if you can keep a goblin on-hand. Although I doubt very strongly that you would be willing to heal a creature so vile." He said.

"Heal a goblin...?" Ranger said with astonishment. That is something you don't hear everyday...then Revenant turned to the others.

"Just out of curiosity, what if I _did_ kill the others?" He asked.

"Then we'd make you wish you could die." Ranger said seriously.

"How? Butcher me? I'll heal. Trap me? I'll break out eventually. Defeat me? Please...you've seen my powers; I could kill the Hero herself if she were here, and she's a match for everyone in this area, goblin and non-goblins alike." Revenant said simply.

"We would find a way. We always do." Ranger said firmly despite how scared he was; he agreed with everything Revenant said; he and his team wouldn't last two seconds if they fought this undead juggernaut seriously.

"I see...well, I am obligated to harvest dead souls, not living ones, and I'm not leaving anytime soon so...I'll make an exception." Revenant said.

"Thank you very much." Ranger said barely keeping his brave face up as Revenant left to get his soul...then Ranger walked back trembling then collapsed when he reached the others, and his team was at his side right away. "That man..."

"We know." Fighter said sensing his terror.

"How can a single person cause more fear than an entire _army_ of goblins?" Ranger said as he sat down against the wall with his heart pounding.

"A better question is how can someone who causes this kind of fear, be our only hope?" Warrior asked seriously.

"That's the most ironic, accurate, and poetic thing you've ever said all at once." Wizard said.

"What is it with him?" Cow Girl asked.

"It's his job..." Ranger said with his fear finally subsiding slowly but steadily. "He said himself, the souls of the dead are his only concern; us living people are just...there in his eyes. He even has a habit of removing souls from dying people to save himself the trouble later on."

"What? That has to be one of the most disturbing things I've ever heard of." Cow Girl said with a gulp.

"I can't say I blame him though; the alternative is to wait for them to die and come back later. As disturbing as it may be, I must admit the logic speaks for itself." Ranger said honestly.

"But that doesn't excuse erasing their chance to get their lives back." Fighter said firmly.

"No it doesn't. Priestess mentioned what you people have been doing while the rest of you were fighting those goblins, and you are all as welcome to here as often as you'd like. That is, after this siege..." Cow Girl's uncle said.

"For what it's worth, I'm sure the mess won't be too hard to clean, what with my now-perfect fire control and all the people here to gather the dead goblins in a huge bonfire." Wizard said knowingly.

"Oh, that would be great..." Warrior said with enthusiasm.

"Wait...why does that blood look like that?" Cow Girl asked when she finally noticed Ranger's sword.

"It's congealed blood, and...blood only does that in dead bodies." Ranger said as he looked up at her. "He's dead in every way except for the fact that he can move, think, and speak."

"How is that possible?" Cow Girl's uncle asked.

"No idea, but the Death God himself made him this way." Ranger said.

"Well, at least he's on our side, mostly." The man said.

"Wait...where's Goblin Slayer?" Priestess asked as everyone looked around for him.

"Don't tell me-" Fighter said as she went to check on the Paladin who watching as Goblin Slayer mowed down another wave of goblins by himself while he was weaving in and out of the crowd like the professional he was. "Well, at least he's not fighting the Paladin directly." She wished she could say the same for the Silver Ranks on the other side who were busy with a second goblin paladin.

"You said the Death God made him this way?" Storm Mage asked from the chair he was sitting on. "He's actually the oldest sibling of the War God."

"As in...?" Ranger said in Fighter's direction, hinting at how she compared him to the War God, but of course, Storm Mage isn't aware of that.

"Yes, the same War God who is represented by this mark." Storm Mage said as he showed the mark on his left shoulderpad.

"Those demon hunters have the same mark." Wizard said.

"No coincidence; we all have his mark as a testament to how devoted we are to fighting the Supreme God's fight. Not all wars are waged for greed or glory." Storm Mage said.

"Like this one." Warrior said.

"Exactly." Storm Mage said as he tried standing and he succeeded with some difficulty.

"You need to rest!" Priestess exclaimed.

"As long as I don't get pummeled a second time I'll be golden. Besides, I have no intention of leaving this house while my ribs are shot to hell." Storm Mage said.

"Smart man." Cow Girl's uncle said before turning to Ranger. "You and your team should get out there and help Goblin Slayer."

"Right." Ranger said as he finally stood up, drew his swords and when he did, some goblins burst in again, and Storm Mage sparked the ones at a distance with his lightning and the ice elemental guard turned it's forearms into spikes and stabbed every goblin that got too close, when it was over, the team went out and rushed to help Goblin Slayer.

* * *

When the team got outside, GS was still holding up, but it was still a stalemate...until Warrior threw his hammer, Wizard used her Levitation spell to make it fly around as the lightning it gave off stunned or killed the entire field full of goblins, then Warrior called it back and Goblin Slayer finished off the stunned goblins then stared down the goblin paladin who finally stood up and charged up his sword, then Priestess used Empower on the team, including Goblin Slayer.

"For the Sword Maiden..." Ranger said.

"And the frontier..." Warrior said.

"And the fallen..." Fighter said, and Wizard readied a fire spell for when the time was right.

"Attack!" GS said and the team yelled as they charged at the paladin who charged at them, and Warrior took a page out of the Storm Mage's book, sparked his boots with lightning from his hammer, leaped into the air with Wizard using another Levitation spell to give him a second jump, then Warrior called down some lightning from the clouds overhead, and came down with a hammer blow which the goblin paladin managed to block, but knelt from the raw force, and shoved Warrior to the side, only for Warrior to get up, throw his hammer at the paladin only for it to be blocked, then Ranger and GS took turns attacking the paladin from the sidse but it blocked each of their swords with it's own, and Fighter looked around for something to throw and picked up one of the rocks that GS used a catapult to sling at the four champions earlier, and threw one at the paladin with Dwarf Shaman using his magic to help, and the paladin actually cut the rock in half, but thanks to being attacked from three different angles, he was quickly getting winded, and his opponents weren't pulling any punches.

"Firestorm!" Wizard yelled and the team retreated away from the paladin, and he raised his shield to block the fireball barrage, and the shield even put up a forcefield to help take he blows, then GS stuck up behind it, stabbed it in the side when the fireballs stopped, then Fighter rushed it, leaped and kicked it with both feet before landing like a cat, then Ranger severed the paladin's sword arm, took the sword and tossed it to GS who then jammed the sword into it's heart and stood atop it's dying body...as a few dozen goblin survivors showed up to eyeball their dead leader's corpse.

"Anyone want to avenge him?" Warrior yelled as he swapped his hammer for his hand-and-a-half sword and stood with a two-handed stance, as Ranger stood there with his swords at his side and Fighter activated her gauntlet's force enchantment. Some even went for Wizard who used her new spear to impale some goblins, bash them with the mace head on the other side, sometimes she skewered several at once, and even flicked them into each other.

"Paralyze!" Wizard yelled and a few hobs showed up and they all fell flat on their faces, which enabled Wizard to stab them all in the top of the head, then she looked around for more goblins, but when she saw their weren't any, she retreated and looked over her new spear, then had an idea: she used some alchemy to transform the spearhead into a blade, so it was now a glaive rather than a spear. She then watched GS and company crave through the goblin horde, with Ranger and GS actually working as if they were a single person attacking the goblins from all directions with just about every technique one can think of. Warrior wasn't much worse, and since his sword was longer than theirs he was able to kill more than one goblin per swing. Fighter's case was just unfair; her gauntlets were about to launch goblins away from the ones she actually hits, and that's not even counting the goblins she disembowels with her arm and leg blades.

"That should do..." Revenant said as he discharged a burst of lavender energy and the goblins' souls flew towards him, and he reanimated the goblin paladin for good measure, and had it walk around the farm, after having it's sword removed, and he craved through every goblin in sight, then had it join he fight with the second paladin.

* * *

"Oh shit!" One of the troops yelled as the undead on came into view.

"Don't worry. Our Revenant friend is controlling it." Witch said.

"So...he can bring back the dead?" Rookie Warrior asked.

"Yes, and control them too. Lucky for us." Witch said.

"That is both sick in the head, and useful at the same time." Apprentice Cleric said.

"That's necromancy for you." Witch said as the undead paladin engaged the living one, and while the undead one only landed a few hits before getting beheaded, it brought time for Heavy Warrior to jam his greatsword into it's spine, then Spearman stabbed it in the chest, and Female Knight split it's head open.

"At least he let us get a huge kill." Heavy Warrior said.

"Yeah, can you get him to raise this one too?" Spearman asked.

"Sorry, that one is probably too mangled for him." Witch said.

"Dammit! Well, I guess it doesn't really matter since most of the goblins seemed to have been routed..." Spearman said before another discharge of lavender energy called the souls back to Revenant. "What the...?"

* * *

"That is enough." Revenant said as he went to the room where the captured, barely-living goblin was being held, then Revenant knelt down over it, summoned a scythe, made the blade vertical, opened his robe from the waist up, and held his arms out to the side. "Death God, your loyal servant calls to you now. I have acquired another offering of souls for you to ferry to the next life. With this, my sacrifice of life, bring to us the face of death!" He then plunged the scythe into the goblin's heart, and black smoke bellows out of it, the ground shakes a bit, and the smoke turns into a massive, black-robed, transparent figure carrying a scythe, wearing a hood over a white, metal skull mask which covered the top half of his face, which was black with decay and baring interlocking fangs. It's no wonder the Revenant didn't want the team there when they first met. One look at the Death God horrified Wizard and the other troops that saw him to the point where they could barely move. Revenant then craved his abdomen open, the Death God then took out a gourd and the souls went from Revenant's gut, into the gourd, and then Ranger and company followed the chill in the air to see the ritual.

"Is that...the Death God...?" Priestess asked while shaking like a leaf.

"He is indeed." Revenant said with reverence in his voice; this was the deity he served afterall. "The one who provides the final service at the end of all lives."

"May we ask him to curse the goblins?" Ranger asked cautiously.

"How so?" Revenant asked as he turned to them.

"Wipe out the goblins, here and elsewhere." Ranger said firmly.

"No." Revenant said which disappointed the team. "The Death God may enable death and allow us revenants to kill whatever we please, but he must still travel around to see his work done, and his job as the ferryman to the afterlife takes priority over everything."

"Well, can he at least cripple their lifeforce or something?" Wizard asked, which made the Death God let out a...quiet screech and nod.

"Please make it so Death God..." Ranger said while kneeling, and the team followed suit, as the Death God charges up some green energy, and send it through a portal overhead and it felt like the air was sucked out of the room and the chill got worse for a split second.

"What did he do?" Fighter said as she looked up.

"The part of the divine instrument that controls life has been temporarily altered. Every goblin now has a lifespan that is at most, half of what it was before." Revenant said.

"Which means they have less chance to cause more misery in any form." Ranger said with a hopeful voice. "I think I speak for everyone that knows how evil goblins are when I thank you Death God."

"I have my own favor to ask." Revenant asked which got his lord's attention. "I ask for my soul to be returned to me." This got the team's attention as the Death God took out a blackish-purple crystal, held it out and the Revenant's body was flooded with lavender energy and he sucked in several deep breathes. "Now...I can fight for real...!"

"Uhhh...what?" Warrior asked.

"Now that my task is on the sidelines, I can now put this power to use to the fullest!" Revenant said with actual glee in his voice which made the team nervous as the Revenant stretched himself out in various ways then summon his scythe. "Stand aside. I have some more harvesting to do..." The team then moved as Revenant walked out with a toothy grin on his face. Oh the goblins were in for it now...

* * *

"I sense you...high priest." Revenant said as he turned to the forest to see a goblin that looked like a mix between a shaman and a paladin come out of the woods, and he had bony, clawed gauntlets on his hands. He also had four shamans as an entourage, each one armed with a spear/club hybrid.

"There's the Goblin Slayer..." The high priest whispered, then groaned with interest. "And those infernal humans who dared ally with him. Kill them and bring the women to me my children!" The four shamans then rushed into the farm and the Revenant made really short work of them by charging himself up and cleaving them apart with his scythes, before letting out a manic laugh.

"Nice..._nice_! Give me more kills!" Revenant yelled which made the high priest resurrect the four only for them to be cut down again...and again, and again, and again. Then the high priest resurrected the two paladin's had them fight the Silver Ranks at the same time, and Revenant charged to where the paladins were and killed them both with his decay spell before the fight even started. "It's just not a battle without feeling everything, is it?" He then turned to the high priest. "Let's see you return those who have no bodies from the grave."

"You meddle in that which does not concern you servant of the Death God. This farm is now property of the god of wisdom." The high priest said.

"I have yet to see him make a stand here...!" Revenant said smugly, which made the high priest charge at the farm, then leap up, and drop kick the place the Revenant was at, only for Revenant to roll away and the high priest shattered the ground, then tuck into a ball and launch at Revenant, only to be sliced by his scythe and stumble across the ground...which made the high priest get up as his wound closed, dig his hands into the ground, fling a barrage of dirt at Revenant who held his scythe out in front of him and made it spin like a fan with his mind, then a large chunk of earth was launched at him and he carved through it with his scythe...and spotted the high priest lunging at him and Revenant took a direct hit as the two stumbled along the ground and Revenant tried to rip out the high priest's soul, and got his hand sliced off by the high priest' claws, then Revenant took one swipe after another, and even though his wounds closed as fast as they opened, it still looked at though the high priest was doing to do him in. Then Revenant's hand reattached itself and even his lost blood poured back into his body after he charged himself up and the high priest dashed back and narrowly avoided a Decay spell.

"O.k...not only is this guy stronger, but he's also lost his _freaking_ mind." Warrior said disturbed but noticed that Goblin Slayer was running into the forest. "Wait, he must be going after the goblin lord!"

"Follow him!" Ranger said.

"What about that priest?" Priestess asked.

"We'll be fine; even if Revenant dies somehow, the priest will be too weak to pose much challenge for us. Now go help Goblin Slayer." Fighter said, and Priestess took off after GS.

"No, my lord!" The high priest yelled before Revenant plunged his scythe into the high priest's belly, slammed him into the ground, spun him around several times before throwing the scythe with the high priest still attached to it into a wall, then rushed to both push the scythe blade into his belly further, but also try to rip out his soul.

"Pay more attention to the threats to your life before going after children...!" Revenant said while grinning manically while still trying to grab high priest's soul, but as he was on the brink of doing so...the high priest jammed his claws into Revenant's kidney over and over until the shock made Revenant's grip weaken, then high priest shoved him off, ripped the scythe out of his gut, and plunged it into Revenant's shoulder, then Revenant ripped it out of his body, punched the high priest to the ground before charging himself up with energy and rushing the high priest and throwing punch after punch after punch into his gut, chest and face then grabbing him, jumping into the air, and throwing him into the forest with enough force to carve up the ground before landing and calling his scythe back to him.

"Do you think he's dead after all that?" Wizard said while shaking from the superpowered slugfest that just went down.

"No..." Revenant said while sucking in one deep breath after another. "Life vs death made tangible...what an idea..."

"Are you o.k?" Warrior asked since Revenant apparently had a hard time standing up.

"I will be, when this is over." He said cryptically.

"Wait, why didn't you remove his soul, and what will make you get better?" Fighter asked.

"Because...I want this to last as long as possible; this is the best fight I have ever been part of, at least out of the ones were I felt something!" Revenant said as he clinched his fist. "As for how I'll get better? Well...if I don't die first, I will return to what I was."

"Why?" Ranger asked.

"Like I said...the Death God follows the Supreme's orders...and I follow both of theirs. Also...I said I came because I was sent here, and to collect the souls...I also wanted..._this_." Revenant said, and was then shot by a boulder that came from the forest and sent flying into a wall, which made him laugh his ass off. "How much does that damned priest have in him...?"

"Enough to see you rot like the corpse you are!" The high priest said as he showed up, dashed past the team, and pounced on the Revenant and the twp rolled around again then Revenant pinned the high priest, and tried to rip out his soul...again, as the high priest tried to strangle the Revenant with his spare hand since his bone claws were broken beyond repair.

"Before I kill you I want you to know something...this is the most fun I've had in _decades_...and I never thought I'd see the day where I'd thank a goblin...especially not for making me feel so _alive_...!" Revenant said, and then crushed the high priest's hand around his throat, then...as the entire army of adventurers observed...the high priest had his soul ripped out of his body and the Revenant stood up barely able to breath and shuffled over to the Death God who was still there at the ready and took the soul of the high priest.

"Wait, why didn't that priest get back up?" Warrior asked.

"The flesh is useless without the soul." Revenant said while gasping for air.

"So...does that mean that our bodies aren't connected to our souls?" Ranger asked.

"No...our souls and bodies have nearly everything to do with each other." Revenant said as he sat down and started thinking.

"Well, give him your soul and recover." Fighter said.

"No...my time has come. After no less than two centuries...I'm ready to move on to the afterlife, as my lords wish." Revenant said.

"What about the souls of the rest that die in this country?" Ranger asked.

"There are more revenants than just me, and eventually, another will take my place. In the Supreme's good time..." Revenant whispered.

"How long do you have?" Fighter asked.

"Not long..." Revenant said as he looked at the sky; the sun was peeking up over the horizon. "Not long at all..."

"Well...it's been an honor watching you flex your powers, even if they were terrifying." Warrior said seriously.

"You're quite welcome..." Revenant whispered as he collapsed and Fighter caught him. "I have a last request...position me in a star, in front of my lord." Fighter when laid Revenant down with his arms and legs spread out in the shape of a human star. Then Goblin Slayer and Priestess returned with GS leaning on her shoulder, and GS' arm was injured, then Warrior and Wizard went out to retrieve them and led them back to the farm, and when GS was taken into the main house to heal alongside Storm Mage...Priestess came to see Revenant, after shaking off the dread caused by the Death God.

"Revenant?" Priestess asked as she knelt next to his body. "What happened?"

"I killed the goblin high priest, which keeps whatever goblins that may have survived leaderless..." Revenant said with a strained voice. "But...it was deemed that I am no longer needed in this world."

"But, you can lead a new life, start over, keep helping people." Priestess pleaded.

"No, I became a revenant to provide the greatest service possible, now it's someone else's turn. Besides...I had everything someone could ever want when I was first alive, then it all got swept away from me. I actually thought of ending my own life, but I didn't think it would be like this; I decided to become a servant of the Death God, shortly after I learned the rites required. Beats taking the coward's way and throwing you life away doesn't it?" Revenant said before he actually chuckled to himself before sucking in a breath. "I am proud, of the services I provided, and I regret nothing I have or haven't done, and I accept my judgement whole-heartedly. As for the rest of you...may you all receive the blessings I once had." He then reached for the Death God. "My lord...I am ready..." With that, the Death God took Revenant's hand, his body turned to ash and the his soul went into the Death God's gourd and he vanished in a cloud of black mist.

"May the Supreme return whatever you lost." Ranger said and Fighter took his hand. Who knew a dead man who cared for nothing would give his final act to save countless living people.

After the minor funeral for Revenant, which included putting his ashes and scythes in a small shrine, the team went to work cleaning up as many goblin bodies as possible and torching them, then they promised to either come back and help rebuild, or at least pay for the damages they can't. But for now...rest was well-earned and needed...

* * *

**And that's it for the goblin horde, and the end of probably the strongest character either in this story, or at least out of my personal OCs; he claimed that he can kill the Hero, although...that's an insane claim if there ever was one. I've seen her practically nuke a whole place full of Evil Sect members in one blow...somehow. But we're not done here...not yet, so you know the drill people.**


	21. Chapter 12 Part II

**Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team****. With that goblin army out of the way, there's only one thing left to do, and that's wrap up the tribute to Fighter she oh-so-richly deserves in a nice, pink little bow...and a few other things.**

**Review response: One would think that Goblin Slayer having a duel with Ranger would be a big freaking deal, or Ranger nearly burning to death, which FYI...is absolutely nothing to laugh at. I was expecting someone to say "Holy shit! I didn't see that coming!" or something like that but...no. WTF?**

**Also FYI, the Avengers theme went through my head when I had GS and company take on that goblin paladin starting, when Warrior threw his hammer; Warrior's hammer moments were a direct reference to the scene where Thor goes "Bring me Thanos!" in Infinity War, and I couldn't not pay tribute to that moment. Now...I think goblins becoming paladins is something their champions do after pledging themselves to the god of wisdom, or at least something seriously religious.**

**As for Revenant? Kudos to Ranger indeed; the man was practically shitting his pants over Revenant's power, but he still took a stand...that's fortitude right there. Fighter isn't much worse for taking her own stand; Ranger shit himself even more at the thought of Revenant possibly ripping her soul out of spite. Obviously I wasn't going to have that happen; that would be EXTREMELY disrespectful to anyone reading this.**

**Now...Revenant himself took a massive arrow through the chest and didn't care; why would a sword through his back bother him, especially since he cannot feel ANYTHING, not even the texture of his clothes or the temperature of the air? His fight with the goblin high priest is certainly a good last stand for him if I say so myself. His passing on to the next life is good icing on the cake in the same context. By the way, how's the idea of goblins getting mauled by zombie goblins? Bet that satisfied some people eh?**

**As for Sword Maiden and Revenants? I don't know, Revenants might be indirectly in-league with the Supreme God, but I doubt she'd be o.k. with a bunch of walking dead guys in her home, even if they were there to give her a hand. Although her using the Supreme's power to help against the goblins, or other threats for that matter could be possible. Hell, the Temple of Law itself might become a conduit for the Supreme's power that the Archbishop, Sword Maiden or otherwise could use to cast miracles like Empower from afar. Might be alittle OP but it has potential. That shortening of the goblins' lifespan was a complete shoo-in; those ideas you gave me Engineer had potential, but when I asked myself "how can I make this even better?" and that's what I came up with.**

**The Death and War Gods being brothers is a Four Horseman reference in case anyone didn't notice; in the game Darksiders, Death is the oldest and War is the youngest of the 4 horsemen. I don't understand why they replaced Pestilence and Famine with Fury and Strife, but whatever.**

**I can absolutely see the adventurers turning the place inside out looking for goblins to get the best payday. It's both logical, and in-character for them. Jeez, if that gold-for-goblins rule becomes normal, then the guild would go bankrupt before they know it. But if enough people bring in the dough from hunting, selling, and maybe treasure-hunting, I guess it could work out. With not one, but two goblin leaders defeated, and a whole legion dead, the goblins are probably going to have a bitch of a time getting back on their feet.**

**Now...Engineer? Not to get personal, but why do you keep calling him "Remnant"? A Revenant is basically a suped-up zombie, whereas a remnant is something that remains.**

* * *

After the goblin corpses were burned enough, Storm Mage summoned a minor rainstorm to extinguish the flames, and even to help wash off the blood soaking most of the army's armor and weapons. The fresh smell of the rain also filled the team's lungs, a sharp and welcome contrast to the smell of goblin blood, intestines, and death, and the small rainbow spotted in the distance was practically a sign from the gods that this battle was the end of a nightmare. The rain was even gracious enough to begin the first step in washing the team's hair, which also had more blood and grime in it than it had a right to have.

"Priestess? What happened to the goblin lord?" Warrior asked.

"Well...Goblin Slayer was still fighting him when I got there, but...then the goblin lord started stomping on his head." Priestess said which alarmed the team. "Then I used the miracle of Protection to trap the goblin lord-"

"Wait...you trapped him?" Fighter asked impressed.

"Yes, from the front and back. Then he promised to leave and never hurt someone again, of course, Goblin Slayer didn't believe him, and why would he? We've seen so many of the goblins' actions that the idea of them becoming peaceful was unthinkable. So he stood up and put his broken sword in his throat." Priestess said.

"Damn...messed up death for a messed up creature." Wizard said.

"Anyway, you helped defeat a goblin lord, who was apparently tough enough to defeat Goblin Slayer of all people. That's quite a feat." Ranger said and shared a smile with Priestess. "I wonder what the Revenant had before his death?"

" He said he has everything someone could want. Well...there's wealth, family, friends...love itself. Who knows what else?" Fighter asked.

"And now it's his again. Supreme willing." Ranger said softly Storm Mage then showed up with Cow Girl bracing him. "How are your ribs?"

"I'm still in no shape to fight, but at least I can move without too much trouble." Storm Mage said before yawning. "I could sure use some sleep..."

"We all could." Wizard said before breathing deeply. "This is probably the most insane night I've ever had."

"Probably?" Warrior teased.

"Oh shut it." Wizard playfully snapped and a few people either snickered or shook their heads.

"Anyway, thank you all for helping save this farm...and us." Cow Girl said warmly.

"That's what we do." Warrior said. It was clear he was attracted to her for...obvious reasons, but hey, Wizard resembled her enough.

"And we are going to help repair this place, once we rest enough." Ranger said.

"Of course. Here's hoping the life potions you left will help Goblin Slayer heal faster." Cow Girl said as she looked back at the house she left him.

"My good miss, if they work as well for him as they are for me, he'll be fine." Storm Mage said to her.

"I guess so." Cow Girl said more cheerily as her uncle brought Ranger's horse with him.

"My horse!" Ranger exclaimed as he rushed to it and it neighed at him as he embraced it's head which was returned. "How are you?"

"Your horse is fine." Cow Girl's uncle said.

"Sorry we didn't get to use your armor to it's fullest potential, but maybe we will someday." Ranger said and his horse neighed again.

"First, let's get it attached to that cart and get out of here. I have some z's to catch..." Warrior said as he yawned.

"Don't we all." Fighter said while breathing deeply.

"Can I ride with you? I came on foot, and...well, my ribs." Storm Mage said.

"By all means." Ranger said as they went to get the disassembled cart, and after a ton of help from the others, the team was off and some of the team fell asleep before getting halfway back to town...but Storm Mage was not one of them. "Storm Mage? What exactly does that mark represent?"

"The Mark of the War God? Well, like I said before, it's given to people to devote their lives to fighting a righteous fight. On one hand, I do not worship the War God, but on the other, I agree with his teachings and I have an above-average knowledge of his ways. Wait...do you want a mark yourself?" Storm Mage asked.

"I was...thinking about it before, but now I am seriously thinking about it." Ranger said.

"Ranger...I heard the stories of how you and your team-" Ranger cuts him off.

"I'm not going to actually do so unless I know what his teachings are. Let alone what the benefits are." Ranger said seriously.

"Well...for starters, the War God teaches facing your foes, or any obstacle for that matter, by being shrewd, ambitious, and above all, dignified. If your foe deserves respect, give them all they deserve, but not more or less. These goblins of course deserved all the dignity they got during our battle; I've seen you and that Fighter girl discard the bodies of your kills like they were trash, which is something the War God would not disapprove of in this case. But should you treat a foe who has not crossed any serious lines, he would likely curse the air in your lungs." Storm Mage said.

"I see...what about those three demon hunters?" Ranger asked.

"They follow the War God because that is their lives; each of them has a past marred by war in one form or another. Mostly likely regarding the very demons they hunt." Storm Mage said. "I myself...well, my brother Summoner recruited me on several demon hunts, and I cannot say I am against the idea of the demons being on the same level as the goblins, as hard as it may be to believe."

"May I ask why you don't follow the War God directly?" Ranger asked.

"Because...well, it's not as easy as just devoting yourself to him." Storm Mage said with difficulty. "There's a reason why he has so few followers; even the army itself has almost no one devoted to him."

"Which is?" Ranger asked with caution.

"The Demand. That's really what it's called, the Demand. The War God doesn't just want his followers to live by his code, he dogmatically _insists_ they do, and since, as we all know, not everyone can handle that kind of devotion, even to a noble cause, it's no wonder not everyone wants to follow him. Although, the only people that follow him are those marred by war, or those practically bred for war." Storm Mage said seriously.

"And the Love Goddess?" Ranger asked softly but seriously.

"Ah...the only other deity the War God can get along with unconditionally. It's said that all is fair in love and war, and those two personify that phrase. Only her marriage to the War God was able to stifle his grip over the other gods in the game they continue to play; if it wasn't for her calming the War God in the only way he could be calmed, the world probably would've ended long ago. Take a wild guess how she calmed his rage and ambition..." Storm Mage said amused.

"I see..." Ranger said thoughtfully. He and Fighter playfully drew parallels between the divine couple and themselves while they were in bed, but now it was both more fitting than he thought...and more touchy. "What does she preach?"

"Aside from the usual things people tell each other about love, she also has the idea of beauty being a gift to give to the person whom one treasures, especially when it involves a wife and her husband. Beauty is a gift regardless mind you, but as a wise man said: look but don't touch, unless you love each other, then do _lots_ of touching." Storm Mage said, and Ranger couldn't help but laugh at that; it was both true, and fitting given his and Fighter's "antics".

"What are the perks the War God gives his followers?" He asked seriously.

"Knowledge of how to fight in ways that are virtually alien to the average person for one thing." Storm Mage said with a raised eyebrow. "But also the different ways to win a battle, including ending it before it starts, or breaking your foe's spirit, not all of which are noble."

"Wait, he preaches honor, but gives you knowledge of how to win dishonorably?" Ranger asked but thought about it. "Then again...you have to know what to avoid so you can avoid it."

"Precisely. Anyway, on occasion, the War God grants miracles and even new equipment to his most devote worshipers." Storm Mage said.

"What miracles?" Ranger said as he turned to look at him for once.

"Army of One does...well what it sounds like, there's also Empower like the Supreme's followers, and there's also the Smith miracle which lets you create new weapons and armor on-the-spot." Storm Mage said.

"Sheesh..does the Love Goddess give miracles?" Ranger asked with pure curiosity.

"I suppose, but I can't see them being useful other than improving your sex life, marriage, or relationships with others." Storm Mage said honestly.

"Oh well. Do any men follow the Love Goddess or are they all women?" Ranger asked.

"Hmmm...I did encounter a sect of women who follow the Love Goddess, but no men, plus I never asked. Although between you and me...those ladies know how to show a man a good time." Storm Mage said.

"You did not..." Ranger said with an eyebrow raised, to which Storm Mage nodded. "What do you think your future wife would say?"

"I have no intentions of starting a family; my sister is a mother at it is. Besides, demon hunting is a full-time job. No matter how many you crush they always come back for more, and having a family will divide your attention." Storm Mage said casually.

"What if you trained your children to be able to fight for themselves?" Ranger asked still disgusted with Storm Mage's attitude.

"Look, if you want to start a family and take risks like that, go ahead, but you have no right to judge me for not following the same cause." Storm Mage said.

"Fine...you won't catch me doing that, but you have a point...may I ask about the god of wisdom?" Ranger asked, and Storm Mage then growled.

"The god of wisdom...he's an insult to his title. I defile every single shrine to him I can find out of sheer habit." He spat.

"Why?" Ranger asked with alarm.

"He's the one who made the goblins, and the rest of the monsters infesting this world as smart as they are. He might even be the one who twisted the goblins into the fiends they are today, and for what? To get a laugh out of it? To maybe serve the Supreme somehow? Who knows? Who cares? It excuses nothing, and now I have even more reason to not break that habit!" Storm Mage said before calming down. "Sorry...don't mind me..." And with that, the cart continued to roll down the road, and the team went home to rest from the all-night slugfest; they were used to fighting goblins at night, but not like this...

* * *

When the team went to their rooms, they each went right to finishing what the rain started by cleaning up their armor and bodies, including Ranger and Fighter, the former of whom was soaping the latter's hair after they strip each other nude, except for Ranger's underpants.

"Ranger...? Did you mean what you said to Revenant? About how all our lives matter to you?" Fighter asked softly while he rinsed her hair with water.

"Why wouldn't I? Not everyone has a strong sense of honor, but they still have their place in this world. Ones that demand to be taken seriously." Ranger said as he stroked her hair., and when then finished up, kissed her cheek, and knelt so she can wash his hair easier; he wasn't much taller than her afterall, but still. When she was done, he stood up and was about to turn to her...but she stopped him, goaded him to remove his underwear which was alittle wet from the water they used from the buckets, but...it'll dry. Then she started with his back...by rubbing her breasts covered in soap along his back which he was both surprised and aroused by. "Fighter...? What has gotten into you?"

"What? You said you like me rubbing against you, so I'm rubbing against you. Don't tell me you're complaining." Fighter said with lust in her voice.

"How can I?" Ranger asked while breathing deeply as she kept working his body with her own, and even shifted from side to side just to tease him when she was done, then soaped his iron chest from behind with her hands, pressing her bosoms into his back again.

"I heard what you said to Storm Mage in the cart. Do you really want the War God's blessing given what you know now?" Fighter asked seriously while soaping his chest, then his abs. sides, shoulders and arms.

"Maybe...I'll have to speak to him more when I get the chance." Ranger said while his heart and lungs worked harder thanks to the pleasure his beloved was gracing him with. "What do you make of what was said?"

"It's sort of fitting that the parallels between us and the divine couple are stronger than we knew." Fighter said seriously, before moving her mouth next to his ear and soaping his hips and eventually his shaft. "Especially since beauty is a gift to the one you love..." Her voice in his ear, and her hand on his manhood made him gasp and then she turned his head and pressed her lips to his and lashed tongues before they separated again and she stopped handling him before she made a mess. "I believe it's my turn..."

"Fighter..." Ranger said lustfully before pressing his lips to hers, then giving several kisses, one after the other, licking her lips as he lashed tongues with her as she held his head and he fondled her buttocks, and she threw some moans into the frenzy of hunger their mouths were in and pressed her bosoms into his chest not wanting the storm of pleasure to end. But all good things must come to and end; the two broke their kiss at the same time to catch their breathe, and the warmth of their breath on top of the battle fatigue they nearly forgot about nearly made the two collapse on the bed, but they knew they had to finish washing first. So Ranger grabbed the soap and rubbed it along her arms, shoulders, abs, sides, ass and legs, then got to the breasts she used to treat him with, twisted and pinched her nipples which earned him a predictable gasp of pleasure, then kneaded, weighed, and moved them around with more vigor than her butt for once. "I always tell myself that your ass is what I like most about your figure, and it was for some time, but...these breasts of yours are nothing to treat lightly." He then stopped for a moment. "No part of your body is, hence the Love Goddess' blessing."

"It's a gift my love...so is my body's power, and both are available to you, in battle, and at times like this." Fighter said softly as her heart and lungs continued to work harder from the excitement

"Which I will never stopped being thankful for." Ranger said before kissing her and moving his hands down her body until he gets to her hips...then strokes her opening which makes her gasp. "What? All is fair in love...and war..." She continues gasping and even shifts against him as he handles her and eventually throws her head back and he holds her up to keep her from falling as her legs give out, then he sits down in a small pool of cooled-off water with her in his lap.

"You clearly have the Love Goddess' blessing yourself." Fighter whispered dreamily as Ranger caressed her strong legs.

"These muscles of yours must be the work of the War God; how many women are physically built for a war?" Ranger asked in awe.

"Other than that beast of a woman with the axe who helped us against the goblins?" Fighter asked.

"True, if I didn't know better I'd say she was the War God's daughter." Ranger said which made Fighter smile before they kissed sweetly and deeply. "How do I have the Love Goddess' blessing?"

"How _don't_ you? You tell me my muscles are a sight to behold; they don't hold a candle to yours, and...you say my face has a great deal of life in it; yours has the same life. You also made your opinion of the reactions you get pretty clear, well how do you think you get them? And don't say it's from knowledge of physiology." Fighter said.

"Well...it _is_." Ranger said before Fighter put her hand on his face with a decent amount of force and held it there.

"I just said don't tell me that." Fighter deadpanned which made Ranger snicker at her. "And...you clearly know a gorgeous woman when you see her."

"_Someone_ has a high opinion of herself." Ranger said with a raised eyebrow.

"Only because _another_ someone kept feeding it to the other. But on a serious note: even though you were looking at other women, and...it did make me jealous at first...I'm sort of relieved." Fighter said.

"Oh?" Ranger asked.

"Think about it: How did you feel when I got hit on by those two clowns at the weapon shop that day?" Fighter asked.

"Uhhh, that cannot be compared to this. But to answer you: it's a relief to see you can handle yourself without me." Ranger said.

"Well, given how many girls you've encountered, and I'm pretty sure you thought about doing this with them at least once-" Ranger cuts her off.

"No I didn't actually." Ranger said and Fighter looked at him funny. "Yes I can count the number of women I admired, and even the times I did so, but not like this..."

"Which means that you're stuck with me, and no one else." Fighter teased.

"I fail to see why that's a bad thing." Ranger said before kissing her. She had a damn good point; Sword Maiden, Cow Girl, Guild Girl, even Wizard and that Inspector who could see through deception all caught his eye, but only Fighter had his eye, and his heart; there's a reason he wants to marry her and not any of them.

"I remember when I asked about why you hugged that farm girl..." Fighter said as she rested her head on his shoulder and he held her closer.

"Do you remember what I said when you asked why I'm not interested in her?" Ranger asked.

"Technically you mentioned she was "extremely easy to look at", which I can't disagree with, but...you said she is not me." Fighter said which made Ranger touch her face as she looked up at him.

"The same is true for the other women I've seen..." Ranger said seriously. "Afterall, I'm not marrying them." With that Fighter wrapped her arms around her future husband and even placed one of his hands on her breast and goaded him to squeeze it as she sucked on his neck. "It's a shame neither of us drank some of that potion..."

"Ranger...next time we make love...I want it to be without that potion." Fighter said as she looked up at him with a pleading look. "I want a child; I want _your_ child, and I want our child to come into a life worth having."

"That attitude is precisely why you will be an _incredible_ mother." Ranger whispered as he held her face and kissed her deeply. "As if I didn't love you enough..."

"And...I'm sure you will be an equally incredible father; if you raise our child the way you were raised, minus whatever you think held you back, then slap what I have on top of that-" Ranger cuts her off.

"Yeesh...you might as well give the kid a Platinum Rank fresh out of the womb." Ranger said which made Fighter look at him funny. "Sorry, got carried away...but on a serious note: that is..quite a feast for thought, nevermind food for though."

"Right..." Fighter said as she shook her head, lightly whipping her fiance with her hair, then she brushed his more coarse hair off his shoulder. "We should get some sleep."

"Right..." Ranger said. The two somehow forgot how exhausted they were and only cared for satisfying their practically bottomless lust for each other's touch, and even though sex was out of the question...that never stopped them before. He grabbed two towels, they dried each other off, then Fighter laid down on top of him, and the shifted a few times, putting the pleasant moisture on each other's skin to use. "Fighter?" She hummed in response. "I don't know why I didn't say this before but...your voice is as lovely as your body."

"So is yours." Fighter said as softly as she could, since she knew how he felt about her voice before they went went to sleep in each other's embrace.

* * *

When they woke up, it was almost twilight; they slept only four or five hours, but it would do for now. They had a victory to celebrate, which was _not_ happening before the team got at least some sleep, they had a promise to keep to the two people at the farm the goblins wrecked, and Ranger had to talk to Storm Mage.

"Fighter...Fighter, my love, wake up." Ranger whispered as he lightly shook his fiance who was still on top of him, then she groaned, stirred and shifted a bit, which, while pleasant as always, was unwelcome for once; he had some things to do and didn't want his lust for her distracting him.

"Go back to sleep..." Fighter groaned.

"I can't, we have some things to do, plus it's going to get dark soon." Ranger said, which made Fighter look up to see what it was like outside.

"I see..." Fighter said which made Ranger snicker.

"You unironically sounded like a female version of Goblin Slayer for a second." Ranger said.

"Oh shut it." Fighter groaned playfully, which made Ranger grope her butt. "Hey!"

"Woke you up didn't I?" Ranger teased, which made Fighter pout at him. "O.k...that look is one I cannot take seriously." Then he kissed her, ignoring the morning taste.

"Ranger...I forgot to ask last night. Do you think the War God and Love Goddess dislike us comparing ourselves to them?" Fighter asked thoughtfully.

"Honestly...I don't know. If I were the War God, I would either be displeased or flattered with us humans comparing ourselves to a divine couple." Ranger said.

"Here's hoping it's the second one." Fighter said.

"I need to talk to Storm Mage about this..." Ranger said as Fighter let him get up, then she watched him get dressed in his underclothes; his armor needed repairs and he wasn't going on a quest anytime soon so there was no need for it...then he noticed Fighter looking him over. "I have nothing you haven't seen before."

"That never stopped you from looking _me_ over." Fighter teased.

"Good point, but I'm not showing off." Ranger said.

"Good, I don't _want_ you to show off." Fighter said.

"Then I'm glad we agree. Jeez, we _are_ still tired..." Ranger said and the two laughed.

"Hence why we rarely touch expect for...where it counts?" Fighter said as she got up and went to get dressed in her older outfit.

"You mean like this?" Ranger said as her put his hands on her still-naked shoulders. "Or this?" He then slid down her sides to her hips.

"Yes, now please...let me conceal what only you have a right to see so _others_ can see me. O.k?" Fighter said.

"Right..." Ranger said as he went to get his twin swords; just because he didn't have his armor didn't mean he was o.k. being weaponless. Fighter may not mind, but he did; a ranger without a weapon is like a snake without venom.

"May I have my hairband back?" Fighter asked then Ranger gave it back before he could tie his own hair into a high ponytail.

"May I ask why you're going back into your old look?" Ranger asked.

"I...have an idea for what to do later, but I need to give it some thought." Fighter said thoughtfully.

"O.k. if you need anything..." Ranger trailed off as Fighter walked over to him.

"I'll ask. Thanks for offering." Fighter whispered while putting her hands on his shoulders. She then gave him a lingering kiss, then she watched Ranger leave the room, then he went to the temple to check on the girls rescued from the goblins.

* * *

Where he saw Storm Mage at the entrance with clinched fists. Ranger knew the feeling all too well; even though Storm Mage has no doubt seen what demons do to their victims, goblins aren't much better.

"What do you want?" Storm Mage asked harshly.

"I want to ask about the War God." Ranger said seriously.

"I already told you about him." Storm Mage said as he walked away.

"I want to know how to get his blessing." Ranger said which made Storm Mage stop and sigh.

"Do you know what you're asking? You have to think hard about this." He said.

"I have; you said those who were bred for war, or those marred by war tend to ask for his blessing. I fit both those bills." Ranger said.

"Come with me..." Storm Mage said as he led Ranger to an alleyway where they could be alone. "Why should I trust that you know what you're getting into?"

"Because me and my team have been through hell, metaphorically, and literally, and we are all perfectly fine." Ranger said.

"What else?" Storm Mage asked unimpressed.

"We've spent the last several months doing nothing but brace for a war with the goblins, came out on top with others thrown into the mix, and like I implied...we battled the forces of Hell itself, including a general." Ranger said.

"I don't care about your feats. The War God would love to see what you can do, and even more that you want to get more powerful in the future, but why? What goal do you have in mind?" Storm Mage said, and this made Ranger think for a few seconds...

"We want to help the frontier." Ranger said firmly.

"That's it?" Storm Mage asked skeptically.

"As a start yes; if we can, we'll go up as far as we can from there." Ranger said.

"What's in it for you?" Storm Mage asked.

"What _has_ to be in it for us?" Ranger asked which made Storm Mage sigh deeply.

"You fool...nothing in life is free. There must be something selfish driving you, whether you believe you're in control of it or not." Storm Mage said.

"O.k..yes we want to be glorified, but that's not our primary goal." Ranger said.

"Is there _nothing_ else driving you?" Storm Mage asked.

"O.k. cut the bullshit! What are you getting at? What is the best reason someone could have for wanting to be blessed by the War God?" Ranger snapped.

"Not the desire to be able to say they're better than everyone for one thing." Storm Mage said seriously which made Ranger think...hard. "I can tell you've dealt with quite a bit of anger, I don't know what the cause is, and frankly, that's not of my concern, but you are asking me about the War God after a stunningly short amount of time, and it's easier to see that it's a lust for power driving you than it has any right to be. FYI, a lust for power is no better than greed, and greed is a sin that punishes itself in the most vicious cycle in existence, until you conquer it, you shouldn't even know the War God's face, let alone what he can do for you."

"This isn't just about me." Ranger said with less conviction than he thought he could speak with. "It's about my team..."

"That doesn't help your cause, at all. If you drag them into this, what will happen when things go south?" Storm Mage asked as serious as ever.

"What do you mean?" Ranger asked with faint alarm.

"I failed to mention another reason why the War God has so few followers: some of them become the very thing they swore to fight against." Storm Mage said in a hushed whisper. "Ranger, your team may be forced to kill you either because they want more glory, or you do. You may even be forced to kill your own fiance!"

"No...I won't...!" Ranger whispered with the fear setting in.

"Then you need to think this through some more. War is constantly talked about as a chance for glory or power, but no one ever talks about how hideous war can be, both for those involved, and those around it. Don't believe me? Look at those girls in the temple..." Storm Mage said.

"Alright!" Ranger snapped then sat down on a nearby crate trying to calm himself. "I can take a _fucking_ hint!"

"Don't get me wrong...I don't doubt you can handle what comes your way, but the risks demand your attention, _all_ of the risks." Storm Mage said as he watched Ranger get a grip. "I'm willing to give you an initiation to the War God's path, but that is all I can do, but even then, until that lust in your heart is dealt with...you cannot be trusted with the War God's blessing. I'm not above letting your team know to keep an eye on you."

"Even my fiance?" Ranger asked still shaking.

"_Especially_ your fiance. Now...last chance to ask me, then I leave without returning." Storm Mage said, and Ranger then took several seconds as Storm Mage watched patiently, then Ranger stood up with a determined look.

"I'm ready. If not now...I will be." Ranger said.

"Alright, let's move." Storm Mage said as the two went past the tavern and noticed a crowd of people surrounding a trio of ladies. "Oh no, not _them_..."

"What? Who are they?" Ranger asked with more than alittle curiosity; the lead girl, the one with long red hair had a pretty questionable vibe to her.

"That's the Hero and her two companions. Let's just keep going." Storm Mage said annoyed.

"Wait...that's the Hero? I expected her to be...older." Ranger said as he looked her over.

"She's actually 15, and she's only as hyped as she is because she got lucky and got her hands on a divine weapon. She herself is _torture_ to be around; she's not just a teenager, she _acts_ like one, and between you and me...I can't stand the way she talks." Storm Mage said.

"She can't be that bad." Ranger said. Yes he was envious of her, but the Abbot's message and the fact that other people think she's a pain actually made him feel better, whether that was a good sign of his character or not is something he questioned...

"Huh, you think I'm joking?" Storm Mage said with amusement. "I dare you to go over there and talk to her. I promise you won't last one minute..."

"O.k. fine I'll take your word for it. Let's just go get this initiation over with." Ranger said as he followed Storm Mage.

* * *

"We're here..." Storm Mage said as he led Ranger to the local cemetery. "Someone put a statue of the War God here to honor the dead soldiers here, but those of us who bare this mark can use them to talk to the War God."

"So you're going to test me in his name?" Ranger asked as they took some stairs to a small catacomb.

"Something like that." Storm Mage said.

"I forgot to ask you something." Ranger asked before they continued. "Fighter and I actually compared our relationship to his with the Love Goddess...would he take offense to that?"

"Hmmm...that does pose a risk, although as long as you respect the comparison, I doubt it would be too dangerous for you." Storm Mage said.

"And my meeting the Death God?" Ranger asked cautiously which alarmed Storm Mage.

"You mean Revenant actually summoned the War God's oldest brother? He wasn't exaggerating?" Storm Mage asked.

"No, he wasn't." Ranger said.

"I suppose the War God would be...interested. But like I said, I do not truly follow his path; I just agree with it." Storm Mage said, and with that, they walked down a hall full of stone coffins to a statue of a man with a cloth wrapped around his shoulder, down to between his legs, with a mace and sword in each hand. "Stay by the entrance." Storm Mage then approached the statue, knelt before it, sliced his finger on his sword-whip, and held it out in plain sight. "Great War God, destroyer of the corrupt and defender of riches. I come before you baring the mark you gifted to me. Another seeks your favor, to combat the corrupt in your name. To achieve what only you can allow. On his behalf, I ask that you show him what there is to gain from a fellowship between divine and mortal warriors!" With that, the blood on Storm Mage's sword-whip was transferred to the statue's eyes, his marks glowed blood-red, and Ranger was hit in the forehead by a small burst of red energy from the statue's eyes and fell to his knees. "Are you alright?!"

"I am worthy..." Ranger whispered. "He judged me and deemed me worthy!"

"How? What did he do?" Storm Mage asked.

"I was given a vision. He highlighted the reasons I am worthy of his blessing, and how they compare to what I could've been." Ranger said.

"That's it?" Storm Mage asked in disbelief.

"No, it's much more intimate than that." Ranger said as he stood up. "He put up a reason, then gave me an example, right out of my memories."

"Anything else?" Storm Mage asked.

"Yes...the miracle of Smith, only...he gave me the option to use it once a day, unless I pray for a 2nd one and he answers." Ranger said.

"Well, try it." Storm Mage said with anticipation.

"Lord of the Sword, Master of the Mace, smith me an arm for the battle to come!" Ranger prayed and a twohanded greatsword spawned at his feet.

"Yeah, it would probably help if you spawned it in your hand. Anyway, let's go test it shall we?" Storm Mage asked.

* * *

The two men got back to the training ground, and Ranger tested the greatsword on a dummy, and it cut into the dummy, even with a full-powered swing, then Ranger yanked it out. He wasn't used to greatswords granted, but it didn't hold a candle to his twin swords, so he went to the weapon shop and sold it for some quick coin. He lied to the owner about it being a recent find but...there's no way he'd say it was from the War God himself; that information is somewhat secret for now. He then went home and was practically jumped by Priestess.

"Sir! We have another letter. It's from Father Superior again." She said and led him to the others and they read the letter...

_Dear Ranger and Friends_

_As I predicted, your success against the goblins continues without pause. Nearly a whole legion of goblins dead including some of their greatest fighters. I would give you all Platinum Ranks myself if I could, but unfortunately the church has little pull over the guild in this part of the country, so you still have a ways to go. But nevertheless, you saved and avenged countless people and are a credit to the tags you wear. As for the Revenant, he spoke the truth; he did go to the battle for the souls, but deep down, he was using his soul harvesting task to bury his desire to actually live. A miserable fate, but one he still choose willingly. There are still dozens if not hundreds of revenants to replace him, although it was quite touching that a grave was made for him, despite how much I disagree with how he did his job. Although I must admit the Death God being summoned is something even I did not foresee, but that curse he put on the goblins is not permanent; it will eventually fade with time.  
_

_Alas, the goblins are still, and will for many years continue to be a menace, but that battle you won knocked them on their backs so hard, it will take the Demon Lord's next coming to return them to full strength, but with adventurers like you and the mighty Goblin Slayer working side by side, should another goblin lord show his face, we'll be ready for him. I actually took the liberty of speaking to the Sword Maiden herself earlier today, she was practically glowing with health and happiness before and after we left, and it's all thanks to you. You are well on your ways to becoming servants of not only the country, but the church itself, and few honors are greater believe me. This of course includes receiving more quests from her, or maybe even myself someday, as well as our aid should we be able to provide it. As for your wedding, it should be fully prepared before tomorrow evening, so if you have anything major to do between now and then, do it today._

_With the revenants doing their tasks as faithfully as ever, the goblin threat being dealt with, and the Sword Maiden coming out of the shell she spent too long trapped in, hope is being restored to many parts of this world. The five of you aren't just heroes, you are legends, ones that have no where to go but forward._

_Blessings and congratulations  
Abbot  
_

"Holy shit...we really are making a difference." Warrior said in awe.

"Yeah, and in more ways than one." Wizard said.

"And we're going to make even more of a difference later. Sir? May I ask where you were? Fighter is up, but you were gone." Priestess asked, and with that, Ranger sat down and thought.

"I...asked the War God for his favor." Ranger said cautiously.

"You _what_?" Wizard asked which Warrior and Priestess agreed with by recoiling or gasping.

"Storm Mage talked to me about this, pretty sternly too, but I have faith that the War God can help me make that difference we just talked about." Ranger said.

"But...still, the _War God_, of all entities...that's a serious road to go down." Priestess said softly.

"Storm Mage told me alot about him while you slept on the way here. I know what I'm doing. I even got the miracle of Smith from him, although I can only use it once, and I got a mediocre greatsword out of it, which I sold to get alittle coin from. And no, we have both better and bigger." Ranger said.

"Oh well, as long as you think you can do it, that's fine with us. Right ladies?" Warrior said which made Wizard and Priestess nod. Ranger couldn't help but smile; Fighter had a similar reaction to when he asked about when they first met. "By the way, Fighter is still in your room, and...you may want to go see her..." With that, Ranger went to their room, and found Fighter sitting on the bed with a sad look in the face.

"Fighter?" Ranger said softly as he spotted her, then she glanced at him and he went to her and sat next to her. "What's wrong my love?" She then leaned on his shoulder. and inhaled deeply.

"I heard you read that letter...I want to show you something, before we marry..." She said softly.

"What?" Ranger asked, and Fighter sat there for a few seconds before answering...

"Me and Warrior's hometown. I've wanted to show you for ages, but...now there's no more time." Fighter said firmly.

"Then let's go." Ranger said and he walked Fighter out, then she separated from him.

"We're going to see our ho- Where are they?" Fighter asked, then when they went outside, they noticed the same crowd from earlier, and the team was there watching the Hero bask in the people's worship at a distance. "Warrior! The two of us are going to see our hometown."

"Really? Can we come too?" Priestess asked.

"Of course. Although, I was hoping it would just be the two of us..." Fighter said.

"That's o.k. we can go there later on. It's no rush. You two lovebirds enjoy yourselves." Warrior said.

"Thanks for the permission slip." Fighter teased before they went to get Ranger's horse, then took the cart with some things Fighter wanted to give to her old neighbors.

* * *

It was about 20 minutes down the road when the sun was nearing the twilight part of the day, and Ranger cringed and stopped the cart.

"Ranger? What's wrong?" Fighter asked with minor alarm.

"It's...well, you know what." Ranger said.

"No I don't." Fighter said. "Please tell me, you know I hate seeing you like this."

"I try to keep it under control, but...that memory of the time I caught fire tends to get the better of me sometimes." Ranger said.

"Then remember the times we touched, kissed...made _glorious_ love." Fighter said softly and Ranger moved into the cart with her which got her attention even more. "Ranger? What are you..."

"Fighter, I got the War God's blessing. Or at least, I introduced myself to his path. Storm Mage actually didn't want to because I apparently have a lust for power, which...I do admit is part of why I want to become a Platinum Rank, but that has never _once_ been all there was to it." Ranger said.

"And I don't believe it ever will be." Fighter said firmly before putting her hands on his chest and softening her voice. "You...are the single greatest man I've ever met, and most likely, ever _will_ meet. Even if the flames you felt never leave your attention, just remember I love you."

"I love you too Fighter." Ranger said with a smile, before kissing her with the sun watching over them, and he returned to his position and resumed their travel.

* * *

When they reached the small town Fighter told him to stop at, they were greeted by some people who immediately recognized her, then noticed her ring and offered their congratulations to the engaged pair. Some asked about him, what they did together, etc. Some even asked them to kiss which wasn't taken seriously, but eventually the two did so for about three seconds before the crowd finally shut up about it. The pair even heard some older ladies say she was a lucky girl. After concluding with some people asking if they could come to the wedding, and Ranger saying it was being done in the Temple of Law by the Sword Maiden herself, which floored everyone until even more people asked if they could come...Fighter led him to a lone grave in a small, open field.

"We're here..." Fighter whispered.

"What do you mean? Who's grave is this?" Ranger asked and Fighter lowered her head while shaking.

"My father's..." She whispered with difficulty, then Ranger took her hand, and for once...she refused him, then walked forward and knelt in front of the grave and looked right at it. "I did it father...I said I would become an adventurer, and I am, myself and Warrior. I fulfilled my promise, and will continue to honor it. I've even taught a few others the art you entrusted to me. Recently, an entire legion of goblins attacked a farm to use as a staging ground for an assault on the town, and alongside an army of adventurers...I stopped it. I've even aided members of the church, especially the legendary Sword Maiden. Also...I'm getting married father, and Sword Maiden herself has insisted on blessing our marriage herself as gratitude for our service, but also because she knows how pure our love is. He's saved me and others numerous times, and I can think of no one more worthy of my heart and soul. It is because of him that I and a few others are now Bronze Rank, and we're on our way to Platinum. He is not perfect, but he is still the strongest and most loving man I know. Dear Supreme I wish you could meet him..." With that...Fighter started crying, and Ranger walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Would you like to say anything?"

"Yes..." Ranger said before he looked at the grave. "The girl you raised turned into an absolutely incredible woman master, and I too wish we could have met. I owe her everything I have, and everything I am. I was nearly broken after our first quest, and she put me back together. I can vouch for her as well; every word she said was true, and I will do everything in my power to see her through whatever this world throws at us. May the Supreme be my witness, and should I betray any part of this promise, may Hell itself swallow me." With that Fighter stood and dried her tears. Ranger wanted to, but Fighter was clearly in no mood to let someone else be strong in her place. He didn't like it, but he had to admit it made sense.

"And when we have our own children, I will teach them no less than you have taught me. With the training that the Ranger behind me received since childhood added to it,as well as our three teammates aiding us...your legacy will be one composed of all the pride and honor in the world." Fighter said firmly, and with that...she turned to leave and Ranger followed her until the grave was out of sight, then Fighter hugged Ranger tightly and felt him hug her back.

"My dear Fighter..." Ranger whispered with all the love he could muster as she kept sobbing into his chest.

"What the hell would I do without you...?" Fighter asked with a cracked voice.

"Without you, what you feel now would probably be me everyday. Which is why these arms will always be available to you..." Ranger said softly.

"Thank you..." Fighter whispered as she snuggled into him even more, then looked up at him. "I love you...more than life itself."

"You _are_ my life Fighter." Ranger said softly as he held her face and pressed his forehead onto hers. "When we marry, I'm certain Heaven itself will celebrate our union. I'm equally certain the denizens of Heaven will welcome us with a feast when we finally die."

"Let's eat it together. We agreed we would not enter Heaven without each other." Fighter said seriously as Ranger pulled away.

"And we won't; we will feast until we can't eat anymore." He said, and Fighter started laughing.

"Imagine us eating so much that we make a mess all over Heaven's perfectly clean floors." She said.

"Oh good grief, why is puking funnier when it happens to someone else but not yourself?" Ranger said with the ridiculousness getting to him. "Sheesh, how does a heart-warming moment turn into a laughing matter?"

"Like at the pond, and I know I'm beating a dead horse. We didn't know each other for less than a week before getting personal, but like then, it was either that, or we lose our minds. Same here; I'd rather laugh over something stupid, than be crushed by the weight of...this." Fighter said while coming back to her usual strong yet gentle self.

"And that kind of wisdom is one of many reasons I adore you." Ranger half-joked before getting serious. "Also...I do intend to follow the War God's path, but I will never stop being the man you see now. I may get wiser, stronger, or even more aggressive, yes that's possible, but that will only be an addition, _never_ a replacement."

"I believe you..." Fighter whispered before giving him a brief but sweet kiss. "Let's go back, and get ready to marry." With that, the two walked back to the cart and left town after sorting out the supplies they took with them to give to the people, then returned to the team.

* * *

It sundown when they got back and the celebration party in the tavern was in full-bloom; the celebrations could be heard even 100 paces from the place, and when the engaged pair neared the place, they noticed some more people coming in, but Wizard and Warrior were going through some supplies, and from the look of it, they were supplies meant to help repairs, like wood, nails, hammers, and other building materials.

"Will that Transmute spell ever stop being awesome?" Warrior asked.

"I doubt it. It's too bad Storm Mage had to work." Wizard said

"Yeah, all work and no play that man..." Warrior said and Wizard huffed in amusement. "I wonder if he'll be a new member eventually; can't hurt to have another mage with us."

"I'll bet." Wizard said.

"Still can't believe he mentioned kissing you that one time." Warrior said to which Wizard groaned.

"Don't remind me. I know he wasn't serious, but it's in bad taste that someone could like me just because I can use magic." Wizard said.

"That's bullshit, there are plenty reasons a guy could like you. You're strong, you're funny, you're pretty-" Warrior shut up once he said that and Wizard looked away while blushing. "Why am I still talking...?"

"Because you're a meathead." Wizard said playfully.

"Hey...at least I'm _your_ meathead." Warrior said softly before hugging her. "And I did mean those three things I said." Wizard then hugged him back, before he pulled away and kissed her forehead, and got back to work as Wizard put her hand on her forehead."Oh, hey boss...and company."

"Hee hee...what's this about?" Fighter asked.

"When that farm girl comes out, we're going to take this stuff back to her home and keep our promise." Warrior said.

"I'm also going to use elementals to do some more grunt work." Wizard said.

"So you'd have more than just one meathead working for you eh?" Fighter asked knowingly which made both her teammates blush. "We saw the whole thing; I knew you two would catch on."

"So what? You two are getting married so..." Warrior said.

"Oh I'm not criticizing..." Fighter said, reflecting what Wizard said to her.

"Don't you dare finish that statement." Wizard snapped with the amusement at her expense getting to her.

"Already did." Fighter said with Ranger sitting back watching the show.

"Anyway...how did it go?" Warrior asked and Fighter's face went a bit more somber.

"We...paid a visit to my father's grave." Fighter said.

"Oh..." Wizard said sensing the mood.

"But at least some more people asked to come to our wedding." Fighter said less somberly as Ranger took her hand and didn't get refused this time.

"Alright, it'll be great to see everyone again." Warrior said as the team went inside to see what was going down, and several people were seen with bags full of coin, most likely from the goblin massacre from last night.

"Here!" Cow Girl said as she walked up to them with a bag of coin. "Consider it a wedding gift."

"Wedding?" Someone asked, and the team turned to see High Elf Archer nursing a mug of booze, then Fighter showed her ring which got several people's attention, and it was the time at her hometown all over again: some said they were lucky, others wanted to come to their wedding, others even said they wanted to marry either Ranger or Fighter, mostly the men saying they wanted to marry Fighter.

"Thank you all. I think I speak for my future husband and my team when I say it was an honor, and a half, to work in this town all these months. Now, enjoy the festivity you've earned." Fighter said as Ranger watched, and the crowd erupted in cheers and continues to feast to their heart's content.

"Get this: Goblin Slayer said he's willing to get out even more now." Cow Girl said cheerily.

"Well, good for him. About time you two ladies got him out of his shell." Ranger said genuinely glad.

"Oh come on, you and your team must've had some influence on him." Cow Girl said.

"Not as much as the two of you did." Ranger said honestly before H.E. Archer exclaimed and looked at Goblin Slayer...who didn't have his helmet on!

"Am I crazy or did Orcbolg just take his helmet off!" She yelled before hitting the table. "All this time we've spent together and he's never willing to do that for me!" The crowd then flocked to G.S. to look him over...but Ranger and company saw him perfectly well from where they were, plus...

"So that _was_ Goblin Slayer..." Ranger said which got the attention of Cow Girl, and his team. "That man we saw as we celebrated getting Bronze Ranks. I assumed that was Goblin Slayer, and I was right." The greyish hair, the deathly-pale skin...especially the red eyes which somehow glowed when he got serious enough in combat, it all matched perfectly. Some of the adventurers even discussed who had what bet on what Goblin Slayer's face would be like; some even thought he was a woman, or a goblin himself.

"Well...that's two wedding gifts for the price of one." Fighter said as she snuggled into Ranger a bit who hugged her close to his side with one arm as they watched the crowd squabble.

* * *

**Well...so much for the official ending I guess. There's still one thing left to do which I doubt needs explaining so that'll be the last thing for this story...or will it? I happen to know that the anime doesn't cover anywhere near the whole thing, and that there's a movie, a 2nd season, or both coming out later, but truth-be-told...I REALLY don't want to wait that long. So if anyone has an idea for a sequel to this story please tell me, and no I have no intention of getting my hands on any part of it to read; I respect people who do, but it's not an option for me. Anyways, give this chapter the usual treatment and stay tuned for the grand finale.**


	22. Epilogue

**Hello people, and welcome the finale of Goblin Slayer: The Team****. It's been one hell of a ride so far, but as mentioned earlier: all good things must come to an end, but if anyone has an idea for a possible sequel...PLEASE let me know. Anyway, enjoy the show while it lasts.**

**Review Response: Ah...Revenant being a remnant does sort of make sense given that he was literally and metaphorically soulless. Good point.**

**You know what's funny? I was going to have Abbot say that the goblins would take decades to recover from but choose otherwise, so for the umpteenth time: me and my fanbase are on the same page...this is getting alittle creepy. As for the farm? Yeah, good point...**

**Storm Mage calling the god of wisdom the god of external knowledge? O...k... As for Ranger getting the War God's blessing? Well, he's not a coward; he acknowledged the risks and swore to Fighter right to her angelic face that he wouldn't lose himself, and there's no way she would let him break a promise like that. Although...a lust for power, like the one Storm Mage talked about, is absolutely nothing to laugh at, and...truth-be-told, lust is one of the Seven Deadly Sins for a reason, and ironically...there's been a pretty subtle message about the 7 throughout the course of this story. Envy was addressed obviously, then greed for a moment, now lust, with wrath being a debatable 4th one. Now, pride is the chief/source of all sins, so it's there by default. Did not see this coming...  
**

**Speaking of whom: I couldn't help but have that scene at her father's grave; that wasn't just a platinum opportunity nevermind a golden one, to give those 2 some closure on something that needed it, but also makes this tribute to her even sweeter than it already is. Plus the fact that Fighter said that next time they mate...she wants to actually have a child speaks as many volumes as it can. If a woman tells a man right to his face that she seriously wants to have his child...nature itself ships the two of them. On top of that...I couldn't help but notice that scene at her father's grave had some build-up, especially since Fighter dressed in her original outfit and had her high ponytail as preparation...**

**As for Warrior and Wizard? Yeah, a kiss on the forehead says it all...**

**How could I not have Goblin Slayer show his face? It's in the 12th and final episode and it's going to happen here.**

**TheCarlosInferno: Welcome abroad, although you're alittle late to make requests; this is the final chapter, unless someone has an idea for me to make a sequel that ties into the original series, like this one does. As for your request itself: Well...truth-be-told, I never thought much of Amazon Warrior, I can see why you think she's hot, although she's a little too much for my tastes. Anyway, I think the idea has potential, but I must ask what's stopped you from doing it instead of me, unless you just REALLY like my writing style?  
**

* * *

"Congratulations, you're all Silver Ranks." Guild Girl said cheerily as the team got their new silver tags. The following day, the team was given another promotion exam, and the goblin massacre spoke for itself, and Wizard's new armor/dress/cloak hybrid, plus the team's new weapons, including the arm and leg blades she took the liberty of upgrading for Fighter when she was away with Ranger yesterday with the dragon, and demon general's blood, with Priestess using her holy arts to temper them of course, were just icing on the cake. "Now, unfortunately becoming Gold Rank is going to be a little tougher; I'm afraid you're going to have to go to some of the larger towns and cities to have a chance to move up from here. Myself, and the rest of the guild in the frontier don't have the authority to give Gold Ranks, let alone _Platinum_ Ranks."

"That's alright. We received word from...a reliable source that the goblins shouldn't be too much of a problem until the Demon Lord returns. Although I strongly suggest that word be spread that the towns in this region should be as fortified as possible, if only to make people feel less afraid, not to mention having some strong people on-guard." Ranger said.

"Me and Warrior actually discussed that while you two were away. Enchanted items worked wonders for us; imagine what they can do for the rest of the people here, and with Warrior training their use, we could have this town practically _bursting_ with Silver Ranks!" Wizard said.

"That plan alone would make the two of you worthy of a Gold Rank no questions asked." Guild Girl said. It was pretty clear she was slightly overwhelmed by what that would mean for the guild, and the people.

"I also got word from your father when I sent him a letter explaining what was happening in this town, especially since the training hall and your wedding. He agreed to help train new adventurers, they intend to throw the materials from the barracks, their home, and especially your mother's brewing craft into the mix, and of course, the two of them are coming to your wedding." Priestess said.

"This just gets better and better." Inspector said.

"No kidding. Ranger here was given a great deal of training since childhood; that kind of training for adventurers, even without enchanted gear can make a huge difference." Guild Girl said.

"We might end up living in Water Town at the ready should Her Grace need us, but we will always be available to the frontier." Fighter said.

"Much appreciated. The five of you have been such a huge help for the frontier, right alongside Goblin Slayer." Guild Girl said

"Speaking of whom, I will probably stay with him, both to help him, and to act as a connection between the six of us if and when we separate." Priestess said.

"Good, the more connections the better." Guild Girl said.

"But make no mistake, we aren't disbanding; the Demon Lord will crush this world between his hands before that happens. We're just covering different angles." Ranger said seriously.

"All the better." Inspector said.

"Now...before we leave, I have to ask you something." Ranger said before Wizard used Life Sight to see if anyone was outside, then he continued when she signaled "all clear". "May I ask what you know about the War God?"

"Well...I know he's a lesser god that does a good chunk of the Supreme God's "dirty work" and that few people follow his path. Why?" Inspector said.

"Because...I asked Storm Mage speak to him on my behalf, and I got a part of his blessing." Ranger said, and the two ladies gasped and recoiled heavily. "I must confess that part of my desire to follow his path is a lust for power, but Storm Mage warned me how dangerous it is, but I have faith that it won't get in the way, at least not too badly."

"What...exactly did he say to you?" Inspector asked cautiously.

"That people tend to get swept up in their lust for power and wind up becoming a threat to those around them, which probably explains why so few people are willing to follow the War God. Now...I'm not stranger to lust, I must admit, but with my team, my future family, and the Supreme God on my side, I believe that no matter how much the demon of lust tries to sway me, I won't become a threat." Ranger said.

"I hope so as well. I can't imagine the power you got your hands on being used for evil." Guild Girl said nervously.

"Now...you said the War God serves the Supreme God right?" Ranger asked and Inspector nodded. "Does that have to do with their mutual devotion to justice?"

"Possibly, I don't know much about the War God, but I can see why he would be devoted to justice. Afterall, as the mantra goes: Justice is not about striking down evil, but making people aware that evil exists." Inspector said, and Ranger sighed and leaned back in the couch he was sitting on.

"According to Storm Mage, the War God condones dishing out justice in the form of being as violent to your foes as they deserve, but not more or less. Although, considering that we've been fighting mostly goblins and demons, we should be in the clear by that logic." He said.

"Interesting how that mantra, and what you just said about the War God are so opposite, yet so related." Wizard said.

"Like two sides of a coin." Priestess said and Guild Girl groaned and put her head down.

"This is probably the heaviest promotion exam I've ever been involved in. Even that Rhea Scout wasn't this taxing." She said.

"Sorry about that." Ranger said as Guild Girl raised her head.

"Did you get any miracles from the War God?" She asked.

"The miracle of Smith, which I can only use once a day so far, although...I don't get much out of it other than items to sell for some quick coin." Ranger said.

"Can we see it?" Warrior asked and Ranger stood up.

"Alright...Lord of the Sword, Master of the Mace, smith me arms for the battle to come!" With that, a red aura circled him and another greatsword appeared at his feet then he threw it into he air with his foot and caught it in mid-air, making the people around him gasp or go wide-eyed.

"That's insane!" Inspector exclaimed.

"I did this one time before, then sold the greatsword like I said. Believe it or not, it didn't hold any water compared to what I already have." Ranger said as he looked the sword over.

"Well, at least we have a way to make some coin should we need it, and since it is being used to finance our war efforts and someone is bound to use it, I'm pretty sure the War God will understand." Warrior said.

"Here's hoping...the last thing I want to do is anger him before we even start." Ranger said.

"Well, if that goes as well as your other efforts, you should do fine." Guild Girl said.

"So let me get this straight: the War God encourages fair treatment, which involves domination over your foes, but it turns out that it's driven by the same ideal of the Supreme God, even though the methods differ radically...yeah that makes perfect sense. Anyway, we have some time to kill, so let's go see that farm get fixed up." Wizard said.

"Wait, when is your wedding?" Inspector asked.

"Today, just before sundown." Ranger said which made the two ladies go wide-eyed.

"We have to get ready!" They said at the same time which got them some laughs.

"I cannot wait to meet the Sword Maiden! After she blesses you two of course." Inspector said excitedly.

"Right." Ranger said.

"Oh, by the way, your other three teammates told me about that Revenant who helped you...it was...pretty hard to believe; if the Inspector here couldn't sense lies, I wouldn't have." Guild Girl said.

"We can barely believe it ourselves. Who knew a dead man who cared about absolutely nothing would turn out to have more life in him than thought humanly possible?" Fighter said.

"Well, the Death God serves the Supreme God as well, so it isn't too surprising. Anyway, there's no time to waste! We have to check out and get ready to go see the Sword Maiden, oh and see you two get your happily-ever-after of course." Inspector said.

"Really? Since when did you become such a princess." Guild Girl teased.

"Oh shut it." Inspector said which made the team snicker. The team actually had some business to deal with of their own...

* * *

"Wow! Where did you get that greatsword?" Rookie Warrior asked in awe.

"All you need to know, is that it was just made." Ranger said.

"Can I have it please?" R.W. asked.

"Knock yourself out." Ranger said as he forked it over, then he spots Storm Mage. "There you are."

"I was checking with my brother and his teammates. They actually turned that fortress into a usable stronghold for demon hunters, and even forged a teleportation path between it and Water Town, although it's unavailable to the public, for obvious reasons." Storm Mage said seriously.

"Oh well, we have a farm to help fix anyhow, and since your brother taught me summoning, that shouldn't be an issue." Wizard said.

"Here's hoping that you don't miss your own wedding." Storm Mage said.

"We would never. Too many people want to be there, and we want this more than anything." Ranger said firmly.

"We can come too right?" High Elf Archer said as she and her team made their presence known.

"If you want..." Fighter said dryly. The elf may be a good person at heart, but the team unanimously agreed she was a pain to be around.

"Excellent. A chance to see how humans make their companionship known to the world is a fine occasion indeed." Lizard Priest with the usual reverence.

"No doubt, and yes, we'll have as many children as we desire." Ranger said.

"I am happy to see my words do you honor." Lizard Priest said as the team left the tavern.

* * *

Warrior and Wizard went to the farm to help while Ranger and Fighter contacted the rest of the people they wanted at the wedding, especially Ranger's parents. Of course, the two came to invite Cow Girl and Goblin Slayer to the wedding as well.

"Welcome back!" Cow Girl called from the window.

"We have come to aid in this noble endeavor." Warrior said dramatically.

"Seriously?" Wizard asked which earned her a snicker from her companion.

"Couldn't resist, now...would you do the honors?" Warrior asked as Wizard took out two summon stones and made them float in mid-air.

"Beasts of the earth, your summoner calls you to her side." Wizard said and the two stones turned into humanoid piles of rubble that got to work clearing out the leftover debris and Wizard used her Transmute and Repair spells to help them along, but when she ran out of magic after fixing roughly a quarter of the damage, she and Warrior rolled up their sleeves and got to work the old-fashioned way.

"Do you remember when we fought that ogre? Especially when you hit it in the face and said yours worked more than his?" Warrior asked as they took some wood to a broken fence.

"Yeah, bigger isn't always better eh?" Wizard asked with a smile.

"No kidding. When you pointed out how yours did better, I'm amazed I didn't pee my pants laughing at it." Warrior said as they set up some boards.

"You said yourself I'm a funny one." Wizard boasted.

"I left out that you're sharp last night. Really, who else could master so many Gold Rank spells, as a _novice_?" Warrior said seriously.

"Well...I guess so." Wizard said.

"And I know so..." Warrior said softly which earned him a small smile.

"Wait, I've got an idea! When Ranger and Fighter get their home in Water Town...I could make put a teleportation rune on their home and ours so we can meet up if needed." Wizard said.

"There's the Wizard I know and love." Warrior said which made them both go wide-eyed. "O.k...that was abit less impactful than it should've been..."

"Well, let's just say it doesn't count in the real sense of the word." Wizard said.

"Couldn't agree more..." Warrior said before they got to repairing a damaged fence for roughly ten minutes before moving to something else. "This hammer of mine isn't just good for busting goblin heads, it's also apparently good for fixing things."

"Don't forget how you got it." Wizard teased.

"You kidding me? This is probably the best...thing, I own. There's no way I'm forgetting how much havoc I wreaked with this little beauty, let alone how it came from a big beauty." Warrior said.

"Careful...a girl can take that the wrong way." Wizard said with an eyebrow raised.

"Please, you have nothing to worry about in that case." Warrior said and Wizard nearly stumbled over something then overdid it and fell backwards only for Warrior to break her fall. "Or that one." They then chuckled awkwardly and kept walking to the next place then spots Revenant's shrine. "Here's hoping the Revenant regains whatever he meant when he said he lost his reason for living."

"You know...you may not be cut out for wizardry, but it's clear that the boss rubbed off on you more than any of us. You talk like him, you fight like him, you sometimes think like him, you even got your hands on a crossbow, just like he has." Wizard said.

"Do you think I could lead a team like he does?" Warrior asked.

"Possibly, especially when you start training other rookies." Wizard said as they started arranging some supplies and putting up some structures that fell over. Now, obviously Cow Girl, her uncle, and maybe even Goblin Slayer did some repairs themselves despite the latter having an injured arm, but they could only do so much, especially since they had two stone golems on the job doing the heaviest of lifting. When they were done, Wizard drank a magic-restore potion, put her spells to work again, and with Warrior's aid this time, they got about three-quarters of it done before they checked the time and it was about an hour until sundown. They had to get Cow Girl and Goblin Slayer and go. Her uncle had to stay and supervise the golems, which were just smart enough to be willing to listen to someone other than their summoner...on her orders.

* * *

When they got back, there was a set of covered wagons waiting for them, some for the men, others for the women; traditionally, the bride and groom weren't supposed to see each other until the wedding itself if it could be helped. When the caravan reached Water Town, people looked to see what was going on, either because the Sword Maiden sent word that a wedding was in progress, or because they didn't know...it was anyone's guess. When they reached the Temple of Law, a group of acolytes was there waiting for them, and one stepped forward.

"On behalf of the Archbishop, the bride, groom, their friends and family, all of you are welcomed to this most sacred site. If you please, the Archbishop laid before us exactly how she wishes this union to be presented. My brothers and sisters will show each and every one of you what your roles in this shall be." An acloyte said then the other acolytes escorted Fighter and Ranger into the temple one after another, with Ranger being accompanied by Warrior, Storm Mage, and Goblin Slayer would join them, but he not only wasn't interested if goblins weren't involved, but...he would be dead weight given his standing. Fighter was accompanied by Guild Girl, Cow Girl, Wizard, Inspector, and of course, Priestess. The rest were lead by the lead acolyte to the grand hall where the archbishop would conduct the wedding and they were told what to do, when, how, and why they had to do it. After about half an hour, the wedding was ready to begin. All they had to do now...was wait for the bride and groom...

* * *

"Nervous?" Storm Mage asked to which Ranger shook his head.

"Not even close." He said. His outfit reminded him of a high-ranking officer's outfit, in both appearance, and feeling; it was both tight-fitting, and fancy enough to fit the occasion. He also used Fighter's hair tie to give himself a small ponytail and large bangs on the side like he did before. He couldn't wait to see Fighter in her wedding dress; she was a sight to behold without being dressed up; it would be a miracle if he could stop looking at her.

"Let me guess: you're trying to imagine her being peeled out of that dress?" Storm Mage teased which got both his companions' attention.

"Whoa!" Ranger and Warrior exclaimed at the same time before Warrior spoke up alone. "That's the closest thing I have to a sister and his _bride_ you're talking about!"

"Sorry." Storm Mage said amused.

"I was actually trying to imagine how she would look wearing it period." Ranger said softly but honestly before thinking. "Now...before the ceremony starts I'd like to ask you something."

"Hit me." Storm Mage said.

"The other two miracles from the War God you mentioned...what are they? Empower and One Man Army?" Ranger asked.

"Army of One to be precise, but yes on both accounts. FYI...Army of One is quite possibly the strongest miracle one can get ahold of. True to it's name, it bestows strength equal to an entire legion; you might say it's too strong for it's own good. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you become Platinum level while this miracle is in effect. Although, I'm pretty sure the War God doesn't hand it over to just anyone." Storm Mage said.

"Well...I've given this even more thought than before, and I will see his path to the end." Ranger said.

"Boss, are you sure about this? I talked to Storm Mage myself about this, and... I don't think even I could do it, and I learned directly from you." Warrior said seriously.

"Warrior...I've dealt with lots of negative feelings, from rage, to terror...to lust, and I can feel my control over each growing by the moment. I know that eventually...I'll be able to use each feeling as a weapon without a problem, and even more so that I will eventually be deemed worthy of Army of One." Ranger said.

"Alright I trust you." Warrior said softly, then the door opened to reveal Ranger's father, and Ranger slowly walked towards him as they looked each other over, then embraced.

"My Silver-Ranked son, getting married, by the Sword Maiden no less. I've never been this proud of you. I speak for your mother as well." Ranger's father said.

"Thank you both." Ranger whispered as an acolyte showed up.

"Would the groom follow me please?" The acolyte said.

"Come on, let's take you to your bride." Ranger's father said.

"Wait. Warrior? When we separate, my horse is yours. Treat her well." Ranger said to him.

"Yes sir." Warrior said firmly as the other two followed the acolyte and were signaled to wait by a corner then a few seconds later they were signaled to come out...and when they did, Fighter and her bridesmaids showed up and walked to the ceremony hall at the same time they did. Ranger's prediction was dead-on about her: High Elf Archer actually gave Fighter's hair some elven-style braids and her pure-white and somewhat sparkly dress hugged her body flawlessly. She was a blend between pure majesty and raw sex appeal. and neither outweighed the other.

When they finally reached each other, they were smiling and looking at each other like nothing else existed except each other, and took each other's hand, a pair of acolytes opened the double doors to reveal a room full of people sitting on stone benches watching them. Then the pair walked down the aisle hand in hand, to see the Sword Maiden herself waiting in front of an alter at the top of some stairs.

What _really_ got the pair's attention, even more than their friends and family being there to witness their union, even more than the beautiful flowery decor...was the fact that Sword Maiden, the archbishop of the Supreme God, a victim of who-knows-what-hell the goblins had in mind for her...didn't have her blindfold; her eyes were a deep, clear blue instead of milky white; the potions Wizard left for her were put to good use. She also had the brightest look they ever saw on her face, a sharp contrast to the miserable little girl those little green abominations reduced her to. As if the pair couldn't be happier...

"Dear friends and family of the bride and groom. It is an honor and a pleasure to see all of you come here to bare witness to their holy matrimony. I am certain I speak on their behalf as well. For those of you unaware, these two have aided me in ways too numerous to count, directly and indirectly, so this is not only my duty as archbishop, but a personal favor, one I would do a thousand times if I could. Now, do the bride and groom have any words before we continue?" Sword Maiden asked.

"Yes, Your Grace." Fighter said before looking at Ranger. "Ranger, I've said this before, but I must say it again: you are the best man I have ever met. I am honored to be the stone you stood on when you were at your highest point, and the breath in your lungs when you were drowning, and I never want to leave your side." Several people murmured to each other due to the power and softness in her voice.

"Fighter...before I met you, I believed this would be a simple career choice, never knowing or believing that it would make a serious impact on the world. Since I met you, every moment has been it's own adventure, and I cannot wait to see what other adventures are waiting for us. In our careers...and our lives." Ranger said.

"Now, will the bride and groom kneel before me so I may bless your union?" Sword Maiden asked as the audience stood up and the pair knelt before Sword Maiden who closed her eyes and held out her scepter with both hands. "Under the watchful eyes of the Supreme God, the couple before us shall be beacons in the darkness of this world. Let the love they share be a signal to all that the gods' light can still shine upon those lost in the dark, and may whatever forces dare come between them, look upon the strength of their bond, and shatter against it. Now, let the bride and groom, rise as husband and wife...and embrace." With that, the Sword Maiden backed up to give them space as they looked at each other, stood up, wrapped their arms around each other and practically slammed their lips together as the crowd cheered and clapped for them. After several seconds, the pair broke the kiss, caressed each other's faces and smiled brightly while weeping. They were _finally_ married...after all the hell they went through, they finally reached Heaven on Earth.

* * *

When they got most of their feelings out of their system, they walked down the aisle and followed some acolytes to the main hall were a small band waited for them, alongside with tables full of recently-prepared foods, then the guests all swarmed them with their well-wishes, congratulations, and simple greetings. The next half hour or so was spent socializing or watching others socialize, all while feasting and listening to the music playing. The pair even shared their first glass of wine with each other.

Storm Mage's Bard friend was even seen with an elven songstress. Unfortunately she didn't know the human tongue, but her voice was still as angelic as one would expect. High Elf Archer even translated some of it to some people: the songs included a comparison between a fresh breeze after a rainstorm to love clearing the heart and mind of their aches. Granted some of it is lost in translation, but the message was as loud and clear as it need to be. Another was a simple but cheery folk song about how a hopeless romance can turn into a family of five at least. From the looks between the Bard and Elf Songstress, the two were either in a relationship, or just liked to flirt. It was a bit of a surprise to hear the Bard sing alongside her...in the Elven tongue, especially for H.E. Archer who noted how rare that is.

"Ranger? Could you...introduce me to the Sword Maiden?" Inspector asked as she approached him as he got a small plate full of food.

"Alright." Ranger said as he puts his plate in a safe place, then walks up to the Sword Maiden who appeared shortly after everyone else. "Your Grace? This is a priestess of the Supreme God who asked me to introduce you." With that, the Sword Maiden nodded with her hand on her chest.

"Welcome to the Temple of Law." Sword Maiden said warmly, and Inspector stood there shaking like a leaf.

"I'm sorry for keeping quiet but I'm trying not to explode right now..." Inspector said while giddy.

"I understand." Sword Maiden said.

"But...seriously, I've wanted to meet you for..._ages_, and I couldn't not come to this wedding just to meet you, although this wedding is still the loveliest event I've ever been to." Inspector said.

"I'll bet. You spared no expense Your Grace." Ranger said as he looked around.

"It's no less than what you've earned. I heard about the legion of goblins you and your team killed. That alone makes all of this warranted. Everything else is just icing on the cake, speaking of which, one should be here soon, so be sure to be there with your new wife to cut it." Sword Maiden said softly as ever.

"Not a problem Your Grace." Ranger said.

"And when your business here is concluded, I would like to speak to you two alone." Sword Maiden said.

"Again, not a problem." Ranger said as he left the two ladies to eat his food before it got cold. Then he watched his new wife hugging his father and mother, no doubt welcoming her to the family, then he finished his food, gave a servant his plate, then walked over to her and offered his hand.

"May I have a dance?" Ranger asked softly and Fighter took his hand.

"Of course." Fighter said not even thinking about teasing him, as the band slowed down their melody and Bard took over and led another tune that was alittle slower, but no less pleasant as the other tunes. The pair then snuggled into each other, focusing on nothing but the heat of each other's bodies and the sound in the air. Eventually, she pulled away from him, saw the softness and disbelief that she shared, and kissed him once the music died down, as the crowd watched their moment in near-total silence.

For the finale, the newly weds cut and distributed the nearly-human sized cake to the still-hungry masses...

* * *

After the reception, the guests all went home in their carts as Warrior and Wizard hugged the newly weds good-bye and good luck after everyone else got their chance. Goblin Slayer was asked to stay to talk to Sword Maiden in private of course, but the newly weds got their audience first.

"I trust the Abbot that came here told you enough?" Sword Maiden asked the two.

"He has Your Grace. I must say, it is...a relief to see that blindfold off your face." Ranger said and Fighter nodded.

"It is all thanks to your Wizard friend. That woman deserves as much happiness as you do." Sword Maiden said softly.

"She's one of the reasons we're as strong as we are Your Grace. She enchanted our equipment, brewed our potions, even repaired and altered some items for us, all of which either helped us, or others." Fighter said.

"And that's not even counting how much time, effort, and money she saved all of us." Ranger said.

"She sounds like the most valued member of your team." Sword Maiden said seriously.

"She definitely put more work into our growth than the rest of us combined, although each of us did something none of the rest of us could." Fighter said.

"Of course. You two are the leader and...I'm sorry, I never discovered your role." Sword Maiden said.

"She is the glue that binds us together Your Grace. She not only kept me sane, but also motivated the rest of us." Ranger said softly yet seriously.

"Of course there's the great Goblin Slayer...I don't even want to think about how much tragedy he prevented, with or without your aid." Sword Maiden said warmly.

"Speaking of whom, may I ask what you want with him Your Grace?" Ranger asked.

"I...I want to hear about the goblin legion being destroyed from his point of view." Sword Maiden said.

"O.k...oh, I failed to mention Your Grace, he and I actually dueled shortly after we returned to the frontier, and it was a stalemate; we fought until we couldn't anymore, and neither of us won." Ranger said.

"I can't say I'm surprised. You two are so alike in so many ways, I dare say you would _kill_ each other should the Supreme fail to forbid that. But that is another subject; we were discussing your team..." Sword Maiden said.

"And that leads us to our gracious Priestess...she saved his life from a goblin's knife after it nearly punctured his heart, and she healed him and the rest of us more than once, including Goblin Slayer. She even extinguished the flames when my husband caught fire." Fighter said.

"Bless her heart. Now...the main reason I called you here is to ask about your plans." Sword Maiden said.

"The two of us are staying here in Water Town while the rest head back to the frontier to aid any training going on. And...we believe that raising children will be easier here than on the frontier, even without the goblins roaming about." Fighter said.

"I see, and with those three demon hunters keeping the streets safe, you should be fine. I myself intend to turn the Temple into a conduit for the Supreme's power should it be possible." Sword Maiden said.

"I strongly advise you do Your Grace, and speaking of the gods..." Ranger trailed off.

"I know, I sensed the War God's mark on your mind when you showed up. I have no doubt you will put his power to use for the greater good, even if you fell into darkness." Sword Maiden said.

"I will see to it Your Grace." Ranger said.

"And I will see to it, that _you_ see to it." Fighter said as she took her husband's hand and got a smile from him.

"Now that night has fallen, you should know...the bathhouse isn't a bad place to consummate your marriage." Sword Maiden said knowingly, and got some weird looks from the two which made her giggle. "I could tell you wanted children before you wedded, you might as well get started as soon as possible."

"But...Your Grace...?" Ranger said as she turned to leave.

"Fear not...you two shall be blessed with as many children as you desire. You may stay in the Temple of Law until you leave to get your own place. Good night to you both..." Sword Maiden said.

* * *

Following her word, the couple went to the bathhouse. After getting out of their fancy wedding outfits and into their underclothes, they saw it was empty and went inside, stripped themselves of their underclothes not daring to look at each other, lest the tension of their marriage become too much for them to restrain. When they finally did...they looked each other over as if their eyes had minds of their own, then they walked to each other as quickly as they could, and slammed their mouths together and rubbed their bodies together while running their hands through each other's hair. Fighter undoing her new husband's ponytail, and he caressed her braids, not daring to undo them, at least on purpose. The sucking of their mouths and the occasional moan of pleasure were the only sounds heard in the room...as if anyone would dare disturb them. Eventually, they pulled back, looked into each other's half-opened eyes, and at each other's parted lips, that were begging to be kissed again.

"Come..." Fighter whispered as she took his hand, backed up into the water and pulled him down with her and with her back against the rock in the middle of the pool. He then latched onto her inhumanly tempting lips once again, and she rose herself up. He then pined her back to the stone, pressed his pecs into her luscious breasts as she caressed his bulk. She then pulled away, only for him to latch onto her neck and be rewarded with a horny chuckle as he pulled her off the rock and moved up her neck to her cheek and eventually planted a quick kiss on her lips and looked into her eyes as if her face was honey for his eyes.

"It was all for this...our ungodly first quest, our encounters with the demons, our training with magic weapons, our brushes with death, and even our encounter with the Death God himself all led up to this moment. Just you, and me...in a sacred pool." Ranger said softly, then Fighter wrapped her strong yet gentle arms around him as he returned the favor.

"I don't know about you, but I would do it all again if it meant we get this. Did you drink any of that potion?" Fighter asked.

"No, just like you asked." Ranger said, and Fighter grinned before kissing Ranger deeply and sweetly. He then pulled away from her. "Before we do this, I want to tell you something: Unless someone cannot replace me, I am not leaving Water Town until you give birth. Unless Wizard sets up that gateway like she said she would, I am not taking any chances of letting our child, or children, grow up without their father."

"But what about becoming Platinum Ranked?" Fighter asked.

"I would rather be demoted to Porcelain Rank than fail my children." Ranger said firmly, then Fighter hugged him again. "Shall we?" With that, Fighter rose herself up and presented her chest to him, which led to him licking her right nipple, and switching between them as she threw her head back, held his head and rewarded his licks with pleasured gasps...which inspired him to please her even more by rubbing the milky skin and dense muscles of her sides, back, shoulders, and run his hands over her braids again before pulling back. "Fighter...if you can help it, don't ever get rid of those braids."

"Of course not. According to that elf, this hair is typically reserved for nobles, and...we technically are." Fighter said as she came down from her high.

"Because of our Silver Ranks?" Ranger asked.

"Because of what we've accomplished. The Sword Maiden herself called us here; she doesn't do that for just anyone. Ever heard of "friends in high places"?" Fighter said. "

"You're typically born a noble; you don't just become one." Ranger deadpanned.

"But you can become one nonetheless." Fighter said with a raised eyebrow, and Ranger smirked.

"Look at us...just married and we're already arguing." He teased.

"Just shut up and have your way with me." Fighter playfully snapped.

"As my dear wife wishes..." Ranger said sensually as he gripped his shaft and enticed her to lower herself onto it as he held her hips, which had a decent amount of supple flesh to grip. She then breathed deeper and her face lit up as she moved herself up and down on Ranger's manhood over and over, and eventually she let out small moans, which made him lean back, hold himself up with his hands and thrust up into her in-sync he with her own thrusts.

Her pleasured gasps turned into hard, throaty moans which went hand-in-hand with her bucking her hips even harder and faster as she focused on nothing but Ranger's rock-solid organ filling her tightening entrance and flooding her mind with bliss as his organ scrapped against her womanhood's walls. Fighter then let out an extra-long moan when she finally had her orgasm, and collapsed on top of Ranger, who he then squeezed her butt for good measure which made her chuckle a bit as he swam the two of them to the stairs around the pool.

"I'm still hungry..." Fighter groaned.

"Once should be enough." Ranger said.

"Not for me. We've waited for this for too long, and I _really_ want a family with you, so I'm not leaving this place until my womb is filled." Fighter said firmly.

"Fighter...you know childbirth will hurt. According to my mother, only burning is more painful, and-" Fighter cuts her husband off.

"I'll deal with it." She whispered harshly, not wanting to go down that road at a time like this. "If you can handle being burned...I can handle giving birth. Now please...take me again."

"If you want, I'll give all you can take..." Ranger said as she leaned down to kiss him and lash tongues with him as he kneaded her dense yet plump butt like it was dough, which made her moan into their kiss. She then pulled away and lashed tongues with him outside of their mouths which added the sound of deep exhales to the mix. Then he flipped her over, still held onto her butt, and thrusted into her with her shoulders resting on the edge of the pool, and they both let out one groan of sexual bliss after another until they burst a second time. "I cannot believe I was talking about pain beforehand..."

"Less talking, more fucking..." Fighter groaned impatiently despite the euphoric brainfog she was in, then Ranger picked her up, moved to the side of the rock closest to them, and rested there for a bit.

"First...you, my dear, need to come down to Earth." Ranger teased, still proud that he can work her body and mind like this.

"O...k..." Fighter groaned out as she rested on his muscular frame, sitting in his lap while he caressed her strong legs and eventually her abs which made her moan softly and snuggle into him some more as he caressed her, then he fondled and squeezed one of her breasts, making her kiss his neck and caress his pecs and abs while still being rendered thoughtless by the intimacy and just running on the primitive instinct that dictates that one should just enjoy time with their mate. Eventually, he stops applying the sweet pressure he was putting on the soft, supple flesh of her breast, takes one of her hands and the two interlock their fingers as she moves up his neck to kiss his still-shaven cheek, and lips.

"One more time?" Ranger asked softly.

"One more time..." Fighter breathed out, then she moved to the edge of the pool and presented her rear end to him, as he caressed her butt and hips, before driving into her womanhood a third time at her request, then moved in and out slowly but steadily, until her groans picked up, and so did his speed. The sounds of flesh slamming into flesh, swishing water, and pleasured gasps and moans filled the room until the newly weds had yet another orgasm. Ranger held her up to keep her from breaking her angelic face on the hard floor then pulled her back, and leaned her against the rock at his side as she stroked his arm.

"You really are my Love Goddess..." Ranger whispered before his wife looked up at him.

"And you are my War God..." She said before kissing him deeply and sweetly for about ten seconds straight. "How is your lust for power treating you now?"

"My only lust is for the children you give me. I don't care if the Hero can defeat all of Hell, and Heaven by herself. I just want what you want." Ranger said seriously.

"You might still be needed in the future." Fighter said was if worried.

"So might you. But that's just one more reason to keep ourselves strong...but whatever I get, Platinum Rank or no, I know it can never happen without you." " Ranger said before kissing her. "Come, we should dry off and go to bed."

"Right...we have quite a bit to look forward to..." Fighter said.

* * *

**There we go, all's well that ends well. Ranger and Fighter are finally married and planning a family, the frontier has Goblin Slayer and the other members of the team to back him up, and who knows what'll come out of it. Now...here comes the bad news, at least for my fans: Not only am I...frustrated beyond words that only some of the Goblin Slayer series is covered by the anime, including some filler which I could've drawn material from, or especially used as inspiration for original material, but...I have no fucking CLUE how to make a sequel without any source material from the original series that's not covered by the anime. Elements, plot, especially dialogue, nothing...this might be a fanfiction, but I want to be faithful to the original as much as possible, and of course, be respectful of it regardless of how much I personally disagree with it. I know there are several novels and mangas that cover it, but like I said, that's out of the question for me, plus I REALLY don't want to have to wait for season 2, even if it's around the corner.**

**Bottom line: other than original ideas...I'm at a loss. Now...I know the series itself takes place over the course of a year roughly, so I COULD theoretically do a 1 year time skip then write my own "Season" so to speak. If any of you have an idea or request, or whatever, by all means let me know in the reviews. As for the haters...well, either inform me as to why I should leave it be in a way that I can compare to my true fans' arguments, or spare me, and especially yourselves the pain...and leave, because no one cares about being slandered, especially not me. Anyways, thank you all for your input. It's been one hell of a ride, but I have other things that need my attention so, as a wise man said: Many blessings upon you...**


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